Ratepayers happy with targeted rate?
Some Rodney residents are happy to stump up for a new rate for transport, but many locals are not aware of the proposed new charge.
The Rodney Local Board were eyeing a transport targeted rate for at least the next three years in its draft plan.
It proposed ratepayers’ money be spent on transport measures in Rodney – such as a trial diesel train service from Huapai to Henderson, park and ride stations in Kumeu-Huapai and Warkworth, and sealing unsealed roads.
Local board deputy chairman Phelan Pirrie said the targeted rate could bring forward capital expenditure and push Auckland Council to put money up for such projects.
The local board plan may affect about 22,000 rateable households.
Fairfax Media interviewed 24 Aucklanders in Kumeu, Huapai, Riverhead, Coatesville and Helensville on June 27.
Twenty-one said they were not aware of the local board’s draft plan; and seven of the 24 did not care about the proposed targeted rate. Another three said they didn’t live in the area.
The council’s current transport levy charged $113.85 per household for residential ratepayers each year, however, it would expire in June 2018.
Were the targeted rate introduced next year, it could ‘‘roll over’’ from the levy and range between $114-200 per annum for Rodney ratepayers, Pirrie said.
This could raise between $2.5
‘‘We need the infrastructure, so we're going to have to pay’’
Russell Hamlet
million and $4m.
Helensville’s Gail Oxton said a major issue in the region was roads and infrastructure.
Coatesville’s Russell Hamlet said sealing unsealed roads was more ‘‘beneficial’’ than a park and ride, but couldn’t argue with the logic of the rate.
‘‘We need the infrastructure, so we’re going to have to pay.’’
Auckland Transport said it would cost more than $350m to seal all of Auckland’s 860km of unsealed roads. And it could cost between $400,000 and $1.6m to seal 1km of unsealed road.
Rodney has about 678 kilometres of unsealed roads. Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan for 2015-2018 allocated $10m for road sealing – enough to seal 12.56km.
But from next year, the Rodney Local Board would receive about $1.1m for sealing extensions.
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