Hamilton City Council

Commit to maintaining transparency about financial decisions made by the council.

Create opportunities for open conversations with residents about financial decisions made by the council.

Make an explicit commitment to rates remission and postponement for community organisations and those in financial hardship.

Support central government paying more for our city's growth (we cannot continue to put most costs on the ratepayer)..

Keep rates as per approved in the Long Term Plan (no more increases, above what has been budgeted).

Support developers paying larger contributions to enable council to service the newly developed areas and off-set impacts on the environment.

Commit to collaboration and partnerships when it comes to key developments.

Invest responsibly in key services and infrastructure.

Close the lid on unreasonable spending, manage council debt and set achievable financial goals.

Continue lobbying government for new ways to fund infrastructure like the Housing Infrastructure Fund mechanism.

Support affordable rates and ensure ratepayers have full transparency as to what their rates pay for.

Prioritise intergenerational equity – balancing sustainable debt with necessary investment for the well-being of future generations.

Ensure equitable revenue gathering, eg reviewing thresholds of rates relief schemes to alleviate hardship to those on fixed incomes.

Investigate additional options for alternative revenue to rates through collaborating with other councils and central government.

Investigate alternate revenue streams apart from rates.

Review whether the Uniform Annual General Charge should be reduced to lessen the rates burden on lower income households.

Partner with central government on off-balance sheet funding opportunities to provide the infrastructure needed for new housing.

Require developers who benefit from re-zoning (ie increased land value) to contribute to community and affordable housing outcomes.

Endeavour to keep rates increases within the upper limit of the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Reconsider all council projects and evaluate each by cost benefit, risk analysis and probability of risk. Projects have to benefit people.

Protect the rights of disabled folks. Ensuring that disability parking spots are not abused. Make the city user friendly for disabled folks.

Make best use of existing human resources for development. Create standard designs and don't charge consent fees on those designs.

Rates should not be more than the Consumer Price Index. Review of salaries which are more than 10 times the lowest salary. Review secretarial jobs.

Check the number of hours actually worked. Increase governance using same manpower. Train existing staff to take up more responsibility.

Introduce a rates rebate for traditional families.

Increase rates up to fiver percent per annum to tackle debt. We must not pass the rates burden onto future generations.

Save the Founders Theatre from demolition and make it a community asset.

Introduce a new approach to how council budgets are developed so elected members have better optics and more influence on spending.

Set our budgets so we live within our means. We are currently borrowing to cover our operating costs. We need to balance our books.

Seek alternative funding mechanisms to alleviate pressure on ratepayers, i.e special purpose vehicles.

Keep rate increases low and affordable, so low-middle income earners don't continue to suffer in this cost of living crisis.

Focus on investing in things we need, not fancy expensive nice to have projects elected members want to be remembered for.

Investigate ways council can be more efficient. See how other councils around the country are being successful when being more efficient.