City services
Sir,—Your editorial of May 21, “Paying for city services,” contains a lot of sound observation. I would, howevhr, like to comment on your statement
that the City Council's rate increase is “more than the rate of inflation.” You were, no doubt, referring to the Consumer Price Index as the measure of the rate of inflation. Unfortunately, however, the cost of some of the city's major activities rose more rapidly than the ordinary inflation rate. Road construction costs, as measured by the Ministry of Works index, increased by almost 25 per cent in 1980; blturpen rose 38’'2 per cent in one leap; the cost of laying water mains rose by over 40 per cent, largely because of the increased cost of pipes. These cost increases, which were entirely' beyond the council’s control, were instrumental in raising the over-all rate increase to 20.3 per cent, a figure which is regrettably high, but understandable in the circumstances.—Yours, etc., D. C. CLOSE, Chairman, Works and traffic
committee, Christchurch City Council. May 23, 1981.
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Press, 27 May 1981, Page 22
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171City services Press, 27 May 1981, Page 22
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