Whanganui District 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.
Invest for the future by following tried and true, low-risk investment options.
Manage council money as if it was our own, wisely and carefully.
Stop investing in badly studied high-risk investments and stick to core business.
Ensure efficiencies found over the last term are long lasting and sustainable to avoid future large rates increases.
Ensure the new water CCO is set up to work from day one with a sensible governance structure and solid shareholder expectations.
Maximise non-rates revenue from the property portfolio, investments and government funding by pulling all possible levers.
Carefully monitor debt to revenue ratio, prioritise paying down debt and balance the region's needs.
Commit to continuing the 82% spend on infrastructure to ensure future viability.
Keep rates as low as possible while balancing the needs and aspirations of the community.
Ensure council only invests in buildings that can produce a good return and move away from investing in businesses.
Keep rates as low as possible while still maintaining core infrastructure and key council responsibilities.
Learn from past mistakes; locals have paid too much for the art gallery so not support charging them but look at charging others.
Advocate for and support the chief executive to look for efficiencies to ensure ratepayer value for money in all services.
Encourage council to seek out non-ratepayer funding to support activities that may result from government reforms.
Interrogate council projects and business cases to ensure there is evidence to deliver good community outcomes.
Implement rates to wages metric with rates only increasing through household income inflation.
Implement an objective prioritisation matrix for capital projects showing voters cost, benefits, risks and scenarios with upvotes.
Remove profit from parking in Whanganui.
Ensure that rates rises are kept to a minimum.
Commit to council investing wisely for the future.
Commit to council paying off debt.
Keep rates fair by tying increases to inflation, requiring a council vote above this and prioritising essential services.
Cut waste by reviewing budgets regularly, improving accountability and ensuring ratepayers' money is spent wisely.
Build financial resilience by managing debt carefully and supporting sensible revenue options to reduce future rate hikes.
Audit all council spending to eliminate waste and prioritise genuine community benefit including animal and environmental protection.
Redirect funds from wasteful projects to essential services including nature, animal welfare and biodiversity programmes.
Review every council cost and process to maximise value whilst maintaining lean, efficient governance.
Invest for the future by following tried and true, low-risk investment options.
Manage council money as if it was our own, wisely and carefully.
Stop investing in badly studied high-risk investments and stick to core business.
Ensure efficiencies found over the last term are long lasting and sustainable to avoid future large rates increases.
Ensure the new water CCO is set up to work from day one with a sensible governance structure and solid shareholder expectations.
Maximise non-rates revenue from the property portfolio, investments and government funding by pulling all possible levers.
Carefully monitor debt to revenue ratio, prioritise paying down debt and balance the region's needs.
Commit to continuing the 82% spend on infrastructure to ensure future viability.
Keep rates as low as possible while balancing the needs and aspirations of the community.
Ensure council only invests in buildings that can produce a good return and move away from investing in businesses.
Keep rates as low as possible while still maintaining core infrastructure and key council responsibilities.
Learn from past mistakes; locals have paid too much for the art gallery so not support charging them but look at charging others.
Advocate for and support the chief executive to look for efficiencies to ensure ratepayer value for money in all services.
Encourage council to seek out non-ratepayer funding to support activities that may result from government reforms.
Interrogate council projects and business cases to ensure there is evidence to deliver good community outcomes.
Implement rates to wages metric with rates only increasing through household income inflation.
Implement an objective prioritisation matrix for capital projects showing voters cost, benefits, risks and scenarios with upvotes.
Remove profit from parking in Whanganui.
Ensure that rates rises are kept to a minimum.
Commit to council investing wisely for the future.
Commit to council paying off debt.
Keep rates fair by tying increases to inflation, requiring a council vote above this and prioritising essential services.
Cut waste by reviewing budgets regularly, improving accountability and ensuring ratepayers' money is spent wisely.
Build financial resilience by managing debt carefully and supporting sensible revenue options to reduce future rate hikes.
Audit all council spending to eliminate waste and prioritise genuine community benefit including animal and environmental protection.
Redirect funds from wasteful projects to essential services including nature, animal welfare and biodiversity programmes.
Review every council cost and process to maximise value whilst maintaining lean, efficient governance.
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