Waimairi faces a 20% rate rise

Press, 20 May 1981, Page 6

Waimairi faces a 20% rate rise

• - a general rate increase of 20,6 per cent will-probably '■■■.he recommended to- the ?toWaimairi County Council, by ■ IU fin«nce.and:oy-law?/cQm- ; :.mittee, at a council meeting May:27.'?’to ■■ '■ ■ Figure*- issued-. ; before;?* special. . meeting-toestimated to that the - iweraKancL water -•rates comWdpwouW -.rise > 20.8 per' centiJin thecounty’s - /nine ridings. ■ . - to- The blggart/estimated gem : j < eral and water.jrßte-rise - was the Middletoh;fiding?(2?4' -toper cent), ahwi-oftAVonhe'd: • ../ (22-4 per cent), and Fendalton ~?i .(22.2 per cent). Papa'nui (18.2 . fejiper cent), and Styx (18.3 per to? cent) ridings would I have the 1 , •>'smallest increases.-'. to . <vx.; The , council’;? collected. in rates,; equal to a per. cent:: collection last »year. That, figure? included lO. per. ,cent-i additional • t charge, and arrears The per-

centage collection was equal;. . to the two previous ‘years/ : : .Total rate arrears and, penalties for .1980-81 in- : . creased -8 per /.cent, to 1 • 1340,765? from the, previous year? ■ //? to. ; to< > » rates;?eomprised 45? per: cent ot.the, totaf levy, . or, <4,289,667,. Ad.hoc levies . the transport,: drainage, and? catchment; bdaffrXJevles - : ■ contributed $4,300,754, ./ I The council’s income other.: ■: than, rates f0r,4980-81 was : '|1;337,820,-The:.Wrmated fi- . gure\ for , . 4981-82 was ’ $1,526,818. /The; anticipated. ' National Rbads Board subsidies were $396,884. ■ 'Almost $5 million has been budgeted • for the tdtal ad-, ministration .expenditure -for/ 1981-82, although : receipts ? would reduce' ’ the ' figure 7(54,871.587).te:a.net estimated $3,344,769. . toto? The proportion of that; alto

located to salaries would be 8519,137. Roads, streets, and bridges would cost the councilman estiinatcd<s9o2 l o4B:. •The. ■ eoUncH’Si:' ■'gross receipts for th© last year 'totailed but. ’after, deducting; internal transfers,' 1 Metropolitan.; Refuse; -Committee transfers, and general : account? investments? tije, net figure wait 518,916,428. ?: . Net payments?- ■ totalled $20,837,496,■. ! .compared With - 516,490,567 in 1979-80/; . Cr. JI, \V.. Skjellerup was concerned that the council would set a dangerous precedent by employing any extra staff this year. “This council is spending a lot of money "to employ some.: very - cbstly./staff," Re said; He. was not -advocating- 1 a'reduction; in staff,? but .he . urged ?the council.; to? “take ? note of-rwhati is/happening’? . elsewhere. • ; .