Akaroa chairman decides levy

Press, 27 June 1987, Page 9

Akaroa chairman decides levy

A bid to have the uniform annual charge dropped in Akaroa County was narrowly defeated after a heated debate by councillors at a meeting yesterday.

The County Chairman, Mr lan Harris, used his casting vote to defeat the motion, which had evenly divided councillors. No general rate will be decided until after a special meeting of the council next week to determine the amount of the charge. The County Clerk, Mr Lynn Graham, suggested at last month’s meeting that it might be a good idea to drop the charge, which had benefited farmers through a difficult economic period. Mr Graham said the. charge had caused administrative problems. .. ;The council had since ‘ received a lette^ 1 from

Banks Peninsula Federated Farmers, which was concerned that the . charge might be dropped.

They saw the charge as “fair and equitable” and disputed the assertion that it benefited bigger properties.

“Farming is under severe pressure and should not have to bear the pressure in order to ease the council’s administrative load,” said the federation in a letter to the council. .

Mr Graham said the federation’s comments were fair, but represented only one side of the argument.

New property valuations in the county had resulted in a reduction in rates for the rural' community this year, because land had dropped in value. Some

rural and Akaroa town properties, however, had soared in value, and so had their rates.

Mr Graham said the . annual uniform charge had been adopted last year to be fair, although the council had been aware that the new valuations would result in a reduction of. rural rates.

“If •we impose the annual unform charge it gives a double benefit to farmers, to the disadvantage of the urban centre,” said Mr Graham.

Cr Anthony Tapley, of Pigeon Bay riding, disagreed that dropping the charge would be fair. “Nothing has changed in the farming scene as far as I am concerned,” he said.

He would like the charge retained, although not necessarily kept at $125.

His stand was supported by Crs Robyn Grigg (Le Bons Bay riding) and Don Wright (Duvauchelle), and Mr Harris (Okains Bay).

Councillors who wanted the charge dropped were Crs Phillip Cooke (Wainui), John Corboy (Akaroa), Marlene Woods (Akaroa), and Mel Orange (Takamatua). Rate revenue The council’s revenue from rates will increase substantially this year. In rural ridings, revenue will increase 27.7 per cent, and up to 38.6 per cent in Akaroa township. This did not mean that rates for individual properties would increase the same amount; that would depend on the valuations assessed last year, said Mr Graham.

increase in rates shpuld not come as a-

surprise to ratepayers who during the last year had experienced many increases in costs because of Government policy and new methods of taxation. The costs had affected the council also.

The council now had to pay Government corporations when information was requested. The National Roads Board subsidy had declined also requiring a greater ratepayer contribution to roading.

The council was aware of the concern of ratepayers at rising costs and was conscious of difficult times being experienced by many sectors of the community, he said. ■ This year the council took over financial ■ responsibility for the Akaroa Museum and a committee has teen appointed to admiiH|ter it.