Dunedin City Council
Rates and revenue
The work of local government is funded mainly by property taxes in the local area, known as rates. This makes up around 60% of council expenditure, with the rest coming from user charges, investment income, regulatory fees and roading subsidies. Councils can also borrow money to spread the cost of large investments such as infrastructure over a longer period of time.
Rates and revenue
The work of local government is funded mainly by property taxes in the local area, known as rates. This makes up around 60% of council expenditure, with the rest coming from user charges, investment income, regulatory fees and roading subsidies. Councils can also borrow money to spread the cost of large investments such as infrastructure over a longer period of time.
Investigate user-pays for out-of-town visitors using council assets so they may contribute directly to management and infrastructure costs.
Lobby central government to stop giving local government unfunded mandates or changes, which impact on service delivery and leave budget holes.
Rebuild budgets from the bottom up, look for savings to keep rates down and pay off debt, and increase transparency for everyone.
Keep rates low by cutting wasteful spending and projects and focus on core services ratepayers rely on.
Review unused and underused council assets and reinvest funds into infrastructure like roads and water.
Scrutinise every dollar of spending to guarantee maximum value for ratepayers.
Conduct an exhaustive line-by-line review of all council budgets and expenditure, council-controlled organisations and council contracts.
Focus on essential service delivery such as roads, Three Waters infrastructure and community facilities until Dunedin can return to a surplus.
Transparently review the decision to build a landfill at Smooth Hill, saving $92.4 million in capital cost and reducing municipal debt.
Deliver reduced forecast rates and reduce council borrowing by delivering savings on capital expense and operating expense.
Conduct an exhaustive line-by-line review of all council budgets and expenditure.
Transparently review the decision to build a landfill at Smooth Hill.
Allow spending to be guided by the results of the assemblies.
Hold citizens assemblies on the financial issues faced by council.
Support consensual decision making on the use of finances.
Advocate for central government to do its part in keeping rates down by investing more in Dunedin's core infrastructure.
Advocate for central government to do its part in keeping rates down by investing more in Dunedin's core infrastructure.
Investigate moving to land value rates as a potentially more equitable property rating system.
Investigate moving to land value rates as a potentially more equitable property rating system.
Use debt to spread the costs of large capital projects in a way that is fair to present and future generations.
Use debt to spread the costs of large capital projects in a way that is fair to present and future generations.
Advocate for financial transparency and financial prudence at all times.
Ensure that debt is managed within the strict parameters set out in the Local Government Finance Act.
Change rates policy to be based solely on land value rather than capital value to avoid punishing homeowners for improving their properties.
Continue to invest in council-owned assets.
Develop a long-term plan to minimise council debt and associated finance costs (interest).
Freeze 2026/27 rate rises at 10%, then lower future rises to 6% through new non-rates revenue streams in the fully funded council plan.
Lower rates forever by creating an investment fund by selling 40% of Aurora and offering shares to Otago residents first to ensure high local ownership.
Pay back debt faster by using AI and technology to find 2 to 3% in savings from the council's $246 million spend on staff and suppliers.
Continue to invest in the city's future while keeping spending as low as possible where feasible.
Lobby government to allow a portion of GST to remain locally and stop mandating changes expecting councils to fund them.
Revisit user charges for international visitors to council owned entities.
Advocate for increased funding and investment from central government to local councils and core infrastructure to offset the burden on the people.
Consider council investment strategy to work on increasing financial gains from investment portfolio to alleviate rates reliance.
Ensure rates and debt go towards delivering infrastructure for a liveable city, increasing accessibility, sustainability and equity.
Advocate for fairer rates to ease the burden on low-income homeowners.
Prioritise infrastructure upgrades over costly non-essential projects.
Review council spending to cut waste and focus on essential services.
Encourage community wealth building by harnessing spending and local supply chains.
Lobby for land-value capture solutions to ensure wealth derived from the public purse does not become a windfall for a lucky few landowners.
Maintain core infrastructure spending and spread the load of debt over the life of assets to ensure intergenerational equity.
Borrow responsibly for long-term projects like water and climate-resilience infrastructure.
Prioritise funding for services that directly affect low-income and at-risk residents.
Conduct a full review of all council spending, operating expenses and capital expenses to ensure value for every dollar of rates and cut wastage.
Eliminate all unnecessary debt-funded capital expenditure, such as Smooth Hill, to lower debt and reduce the interest burden.
Immediately cease the debt funding of operational expenses to stop the debt spiral and make tough decisions.
Retain ownership of council-owned services and ensure proper financial management with a focus on the water infrastructure cost due to new legislation.
Ensure efficient and sensible spending given the huge debt and impact on ratepayers and increase investments and revenue where possible.
Keep fees and charges to a minimum where possible given the cost of living crisis.
Control spending.
Liquidate debt.
Reduce rates.
Consider future generations and their needs when making decisions now and be brave and bold to leave Otepoti as a better place.
Reconsider the rating structure of local council through progressive rates based on land use.
Use fees and charges to encourage active transport modes, including parking fees to support bus transport in conjunction with ORC.
Achieve this by eliminating non-core spending and investigating current contract arrangements for padding. Promote in house delivery.
Hold rates to the rate of inflation as a maximum.
Retire debt at the maximum possible rate.
Continue to reduce "nice to haves" so that rates rises can be less now that budget is balanced.
Make life easier for developers by simplifying consenting processes and explaining them accurately with checklists at the counter.
Reduce long-term capital expenditure so that debt repayment can take place now that it is flattening out in the long-term plan.
Bring down rates by raising revenue through programmes and investments to bring more residents and businesses into the city.
Fight against the austerity policies of the national government who would starve Dunedin of infrastructure and oppose all ideological cuts.
Support the in-house model of Local Water Done Well to bring pipes and water infrastructure maintenance expenditure under control.
Support a form of rates cap as fiscal discipline for any council deciding how to spend the money of ratepayers.
Sell unused assets to develop a wealth investment fund that can offset high rates in time.
Review council hiring practices to ensure no duplication or waste of ratepayer money as council's staff count is possibly too high.
Continue to provide services across the city without increased fees and charges.
Improve investment returns from council-controlled companies as the portfolio needs to perform better.
Maintain a balanced budget and keep debt at the current level with an aim to start paying it back in the not too distant future.
Balance the wishes of the community with the affordability of rates, mindful of the need to future-proof the city.
Lobby the government strongly for financial tools other than rates, fees and charges, and debt to finance council activities.
Regularly review council investments with expert advice to get the best return for the city.
Reduce debt through disciplined financial management and transparent project cost controls that align with council expectations.
Reduce forecast rates rises by prioritising essential services and cutting wasteful spending through a line-by-line review first.
Review all council spending, investments and assets with a focus on best use, value for money and long-term returns.
Continue investing in the city and appreciate the tough balance between debt burden and continuing vibrancy, growth and employment.
Focus on reducing rate increases over the long-term plan period, keeping Aurora in-house, focusing on a balanced budget and protecting Waipori investment.
Focus on the cost of living crunch locally and not support rate cuts if they disproportionately impinge on the most vulnerable residents.
Ensure a rates cap will exist whether Central Government imposes one or not and that it will not exceed inflation.
Change Dunedin City Council contracting policies to stop Smooth Hill, cycleways and rescope Three Waters, resulting in no extra debt and lower rate increases.
Sell Dunedin City Council excess properties and $60 million of investment properties outside Dunedin to repay debt and take a hard look at DCHL companies.
Charge a small fee for non-residents to enter Dunedin public venues such as the museum and art gallery, removing funding burdens from ratepayers.
No further rates increases for the next three years, getting back to basics of council services. People cannot afford further rates increases.
Refocus on essential services and reduce council input into private funding projects such as theatres, reducing the burden of spending.
Look for ways to increase income aside from rates, including industry and community partnerships for some assets and central government funding for others.
Look for ways to minimise expenditure by focusing on key infrastructure, sound budgeting practice, robust contract management and accountability.
Implement a policy to ensure a repayment plan accompanies all debt funding, giving life to asset management and renewal planning.
Ensure that the 50-year plan developed by DCC is feasible, workable and generates finance; oppose putting rates up.
Make council investments profitable for ratepayers and sell those costing ratepayers money.
Stop any unnecessary projects and get rid of council debt first.
Reject rates reduction if functioning infrastructure is desired.
Reassess which assets are worth retaining and optimise the use of those retained.
Advocate for the people of Dunedin by working with central government to avoid rate caps and funding cuts which only push costs onto the community.
Investigate the reality of a land value rating system to encourage productive and prosperous land use, particularly within urban areas.
Use rates for long-term capital investment to see a greater wealth spread around the city for current and future generations.
Become a more demanding shareholder of council-owned companies and ensure dividends are paid by the profitable businesses owned.
Encourage open debate about debt borne by all NZ councils and strategies to limit increases.
Work with council to reduce rates rises for the next financial year and beyond. Current projections are too high.
Investigate user-pays for out-of-town visitors using council assets so they may contribute directly to management and infrastructure costs.
Lobby central government to stop giving local government unfunded mandates or changes, which impact on service delivery and leave budget holes.
Rebuild budgets from the bottom up, look for savings to keep rates down and pay off debt, and increase transparency for everyone.
Keep rates low by cutting wasteful spending and projects and focus on core services ratepayers rely on.
Review unused and underused council assets and reinvest funds into infrastructure like roads and water.
Scrutinise every dollar of spending to guarantee maximum value for ratepayers.
Conduct an exhaustive line-by-line review of all council budgets and expenditure, council-controlled organisations and council contracts.
Focus on essential service delivery such as roads, Three Waters infrastructure and community facilities until Dunedin can return to a surplus.
Transparently review the decision to build a landfill at Smooth Hill, saving $92.4 million in capital cost and reducing municipal debt.
Deliver reduced forecast rates and reduce council borrowing by delivering savings on capital expense and operating expense.
Conduct an exhaustive line-by-line review of all council budgets and expenditure.
Transparently review the decision to build a landfill at Smooth Hill.
Allow spending to be guided by the results of the assemblies.
Hold citizens assemblies on the financial issues faced by council.
Support consensual decision making on the use of finances.
Advocate for central government to do its part in keeping rates down by investing more in Dunedin's core infrastructure.
Advocate for central government to do its part in keeping rates down by investing more in Dunedin's core infrastructure.
Investigate moving to land value rates as a potentially more equitable property rating system.
Investigate moving to land value rates as a potentially more equitable property rating system.
Use debt to spread the costs of large capital projects in a way that is fair to present and future generations.
Use debt to spread the costs of large capital projects in a way that is fair to present and future generations.
Advocate for financial transparency and financial prudence at all times.
Ensure that debt is managed within the strict parameters set out in the Local Government Finance Act.
Change rates policy to be based solely on land value rather than capital value to avoid punishing homeowners for improving their properties.
Continue to invest in council-owned assets.
Develop a long-term plan to minimise council debt and associated finance costs (interest).
Freeze 2026/27 rate rises at 10%, then lower future rises to 6% through new non-rates revenue streams in the fully funded council plan.
Lower rates forever by creating an investment fund by selling 40% of Aurora and offering shares to Otago residents first to ensure high local ownership.
Pay back debt faster by using AI and technology to find 2 to 3% in savings from the council's $246 million spend on staff and suppliers.
Continue to invest in the city's future while keeping spending as low as possible where feasible.
Lobby government to allow a portion of GST to remain locally and stop mandating changes expecting councils to fund them.
Revisit user charges for international visitors to council owned entities.
Advocate for increased funding and investment from central government to local councils and core infrastructure to offset the burden on the people.
Consider council investment strategy to work on increasing financial gains from investment portfolio to alleviate rates reliance.
Ensure rates and debt go towards delivering infrastructure for a liveable city, increasing accessibility, sustainability and equity.
Advocate for fairer rates to ease the burden on low-income homeowners.
Prioritise infrastructure upgrades over costly non-essential projects.
Review council spending to cut waste and focus on essential services.
Encourage community wealth building by harnessing spending and local supply chains.
Lobby for land-value capture solutions to ensure wealth derived from the public purse does not become a windfall for a lucky few landowners.
Maintain core infrastructure spending and spread the load of debt over the life of assets to ensure intergenerational equity.
Borrow responsibly for long-term projects like water and climate-resilience infrastructure.
Prioritise funding for services that directly affect low-income and at-risk residents.
Conduct a full review of all council spending, operating expenses and capital expenses to ensure value for every dollar of rates and cut wastage.
Eliminate all unnecessary debt-funded capital expenditure, such as Smooth Hill, to lower debt and reduce the interest burden.
Immediately cease the debt funding of operational expenses to stop the debt spiral and make tough decisions.
Retain ownership of council-owned services and ensure proper financial management with a focus on the water infrastructure cost due to new legislation.
Ensure efficient and sensible spending given the huge debt and impact on ratepayers and increase investments and revenue where possible.
Keep fees and charges to a minimum where possible given the cost of living crisis.
Control spending.
Liquidate debt.
Reduce rates.
Consider future generations and their needs when making decisions now and be brave and bold to leave Otepoti as a better place.
Reconsider the rating structure of local council through progressive rates based on land use.
Use fees and charges to encourage active transport modes, including parking fees to support bus transport in conjunction with ORC.
Achieve this by eliminating non-core spending and investigating current contract arrangements for padding. Promote in house delivery.
Hold rates to the rate of inflation as a maximum.
Retire debt at the maximum possible rate.
Continue to reduce "nice to haves" so that rates rises can be less now that budget is balanced.
Make life easier for developers by simplifying consenting processes and explaining them accurately with checklists at the counter.
Reduce long-term capital expenditure so that debt repayment can take place now that it is flattening out in the long-term plan.
Bring down rates by raising revenue through programmes and investments to bring more residents and businesses into the city.
Fight against the austerity policies of the national government who would starve Dunedin of infrastructure and oppose all ideological cuts.
Support the in-house model of Local Water Done Well to bring pipes and water infrastructure maintenance expenditure under control.
Support a form of rates cap as fiscal discipline for any council deciding how to spend the money of ratepayers.
Sell unused assets to develop a wealth investment fund that can offset high rates in time.
Review council hiring practices to ensure no duplication or waste of ratepayer money as council's staff count is possibly too high.
Continue to provide services across the city without increased fees and charges.
Improve investment returns from council-controlled companies as the portfolio needs to perform better.
Maintain a balanced budget and keep debt at the current level with an aim to start paying it back in the not too distant future.
Balance the wishes of the community with the affordability of rates, mindful of the need to future-proof the city.
Lobby the government strongly for financial tools other than rates, fees and charges, and debt to finance council activities.
Regularly review council investments with expert advice to get the best return for the city.
Reduce debt through disciplined financial management and transparent project cost controls that align with council expectations.
Reduce forecast rates rises by prioritising essential services and cutting wasteful spending through a line-by-line review first.
Review all council spending, investments and assets with a focus on best use, value for money and long-term returns.
Continue investing in the city and appreciate the tough balance between debt burden and continuing vibrancy, growth and employment.
Focus on reducing rate increases over the long-term plan period, keeping Aurora in-house, focusing on a balanced budget and protecting Waipori investment.
Focus on the cost of living crunch locally and not support rate cuts if they disproportionately impinge on the most vulnerable residents.
Ensure a rates cap will exist whether Central Government imposes one or not and that it will not exceed inflation.
Change Dunedin City Council contracting policies to stop Smooth Hill, cycleways and rescope Three Waters, resulting in no extra debt and lower rate increases.
Sell Dunedin City Council excess properties and $60 million of investment properties outside Dunedin to repay debt and take a hard look at DCHL companies.
Charge a small fee for non-residents to enter Dunedin public venues such as the museum and art gallery, removing funding burdens from ratepayers.
No further rates increases for the next three years, getting back to basics of council services. People cannot afford further rates increases.
Refocus on essential services and reduce council input into private funding projects such as theatres, reducing the burden of spending.
Look for ways to increase income aside from rates, including industry and community partnerships for some assets and central government funding for others.
Look for ways to minimise expenditure by focusing on key infrastructure, sound budgeting practice, robust contract management and accountability.
Implement a policy to ensure a repayment plan accompanies all debt funding, giving life to asset management and renewal planning.
Ensure that the 50-year plan developed by DCC is feasible, workable and generates finance; oppose putting rates up.
Make council investments profitable for ratepayers and sell those costing ratepayers money.
Stop any unnecessary projects and get rid of council debt first.
Reject rates reduction if functioning infrastructure is desired.
Reassess which assets are worth retaining and optimise the use of those retained.
Advocate for the people of Dunedin by working with central government to avoid rate caps and funding cuts which only push costs onto the community.
Investigate the reality of a land value rating system to encourage productive and prosperous land use, particularly within urban areas.
Use rates for long-term capital investment to see a greater wealth spread around the city for current and future generations.
Become a more demanding shareholder of council-owned companies and ensure dividends are paid by the profitable businesses owned.
Encourage open debate about debt borne by all NZ councils and strategies to limit increases.
Work with council to reduce rates rises for the next financial year and beyond. Current projections are too high.
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