1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: A rude wake up for Wellingtonians this morning with news 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:06,080 Speaker 1: that their rates are set to increase by fifteen point 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:08,800 Speaker 1: nine percent next year. That's up more than three percent 4 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:11,719 Speaker 1: higher than previously promised. It's a result of Wellington Council 5 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: not selling its airport shares, we all know about that, 6 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: but then also not making enough savings. Otherwise, Wellington City 7 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: councilor Tony randalls with me, Tony, good evening. 8 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 2: Good evening. 9 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:24,639 Speaker 1: So the mayor now saying, actually, I will stick to 10 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: the original promise of twelve point four. Do we believe that. 11 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 2: Well, we've already been through this whole process of saying 12 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 2: we're making enough savings when in fact we spent most 13 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 2: of the meeting putting money back in the budget. And 14 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:42,480 Speaker 2: then there's a surprise that rates have gone up by more. 15 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:44,520 Speaker 2: And that's also gone up as well. 16 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 1: So if you're a Wellingtonian listening to this, who do 17 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 1: you believe? Who do you listen to? How much will 18 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 1: the rates go up by twelve point four or fifteen 19 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: point nine or maybe more? Do we actually know? 20 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 2: Well, the officers have said that they're going to go 21 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 2: up by fifteen point nine percent, and that's the average. 22 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 2: Of course, We're also going to have new valuations out 23 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 2: for the next rates time, so those people who are 24 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 2: in the wrong end of the valuation shift are going 25 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 2: to have even higher rates than fifteen nine point nine percent. 26 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:19,760 Speaker 2: That's that's not good. But the reality is we're going 27 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 2: to have to make more cuts, and that's what officers said. 28 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 2: They're going to come back in February to do it, 29 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:27,479 Speaker 2: but my goodness, we should have done it already for good. 30 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 1: So you've had one round of cuts and they because 31 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 1: they haven't gone deep enough, you're going to have to 32 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: have another round of cuts. Do you think we're finally 33 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: going to get rid of that Golden Mill or is that? 34 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 2: You know? 35 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:40,319 Speaker 1: Are there certain projects that people are just not willing 36 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: to relent on. 37 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:47,200 Speaker 2: That the Mirror has got her agenda? It includes us 38 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 2: spending more rate power funds on psych aways, spending more 39 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 2: rate power funds on the gold and Mile project. And 40 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 2: actually she last time she even increased the budget for 41 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 2: the organics processing by eleven million dollars. And so it's 42 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:05,639 Speaker 2: no surprise to me that their costs haven't been cuts 43 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 2: haven't been made, and so rape payers are going to 44 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,079 Speaker 2: wear it really hard. And I really feel for them 45 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 2: really do. 46 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: And not only are they wearing it, but the council's 47 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: debt limits wearing it too. It's at two hundred and 48 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: twenty six percent, the limits two hundred and twenty five. 49 00:02:18,800 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 1: Is this Crown observer giving you any of what are 50 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: they doing? 51 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 2: Well? He has been a positive influence and given us 52 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 2: some advice and listening, but mainly he's reporting back. I 53 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 2: think actually his first report is going to go to 54 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 2: the Minister very soon. I'll be interested to see what 55 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 2: it says. It's still it's still time to make cuts. 56 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 2: Perhaps we can make some cuts even on Tuesday. But 57 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 2: really this is just bad news for a council really 58 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 2: that says it trying to make hard decisions, but it 59 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 2: hasn't made the hard decisions, really hasn't, and people are 60 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,360 Speaker 2: holding on to this party agenda stuff. We need to 61 00:02:57,400 --> 00:02:59,639 Speaker 2: move on and focus on the basics and that means 62 00:02:59,639 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 2: more cut. 63 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 1: Sorry Tony Randall, Wellington City councilor thanks for your time. 64 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,239 Speaker 1: For more from hither Duplessy Allen Drive, Listen live to 65 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:10,360 Speaker 1: news talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow 66 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.