City Council holds rates for second year

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32639, 22 June 1971, Page 1

City Council holds rates for second year

With the help of the petroleum tax, estimated to amount to $785,000 in the current financial year, the Christchurch City Council last evening held its share of the rates for a second year.

Last year it was able to do the same because of the handing over of traffic control to the Transport Department. In both years increases in wages and salaries would have meant an increase in the rates if there had not been an alternative source of income.

With the petroleum tax, and in spite of a debit of $169,834 in the general account at the beginning of the financial year, the council’s amalgamated rate is up by only a small percentage, and when the water rate, which shows a slight decrease, is added the council’s "take” from its ratepayers will be only fractionally different one way or another from last year.

The closeness is shown by the fact that of 15 sample rate demands selected by the council for comparisons two are identical down to the last cent.

However, city ratepayers will have to pay more when they get their demands, because the Transport Board, North Canterbury Catchment Board,' and Drainage Board, for which the council acts as a collector, have all increased their rates.

The council has estimated that it will receive $2,461,495 from its general rate, which will include $67,457 in grants from the Crown in lieu of rates on certain properties. This compares with an actual receipt of $2,506,582 last year.

Over-all receipts to meet the expenditure from the general rate will amount to an estimated $3,724,416, compared with an estimate of $3,200,247, and an actual spending of $3,375,885. I

All but one of the eight departments of the council which have a call on the general rate have budgeted to spend more than last year’s expenditure. The exception is the baths account, where

$18,980 has been estimated instead of an expenditure of $21,726.

The works department’s expenditure, always the greatest, has been estimated at more than s2m for the first time. Last year the estimate of $1.747m was exceeded by nearly $109,000.

The National Roads Board subsidy, which goes largely to the works vote, but also covers traffic lights, the area control system and street lighting, has been estimated at $1.125m, compared with $1.114m. „ Salary and wage increases

figure largely in all the departmental estimates, and an example is given by the vote for the departments controlled by the by-laws and finance committee. Last year’s estimate was $299,500. The actual cost was $353,106. This year the estimate is $362,500.

The net cost to the council of the elections to be held in October is estimated at $25,000.

Meter account

-.The separate parking meter account shows that cash takings were less than expected —5143,555, compared with an estimated $170,000; but the council has estimated another increase by providing for $lBO,OOO. This would show an estimated surplus of $121,900.

The Christchurch Airport estimates show estimated pool (Government-council)

expenditure for 1971-72 as $1,145,390 and receipts of $1,182,500, with the council’s half share of the surplus as $18,550. Interest on loans

amounts to an estimated $33,000, but the $14,450 to be found does not come from the general rate. The council’s amalgamated rate covers the general rate

and special rates for the library and loan charges for the council and levies on it by the Canterbury Museum Trust Board and the Riccarton Bush Trustees.