Last Saturday and Sunday at Mangawhai Heads. Photos from looking around a few streets. The number of Open Homes and For Sale signs was pretty overwhelming. But they were overwhelmed by the number of Striking Ratepayer signs. And two hundred ratepayers attended the Mangawhai Residents and Ratepayers meeting on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
This is a community that is fighting for its future. A community that is being forced - at the moment - by a Government Minister, Government Officials, Government appointed commissioners, and an almost bankrupt Council - to pay illegally set rates on a crippling loan they had no control over.
Some have decided to sell. Most have decided to stay. Most have been "loyal ratepayers" for years. But a strong sense of unfairness has driven many to the point they are now refusing to pay their rates. They feel no-one is listening and no-one outside the District cares what happens to Mangawhai.
It is deeply ironic that the Council inspired infrastructure project designed to attract development and investment is responsible for the exact opposite. For years ratepayers have sought audits and intervention from Government and from Office of the Auditor General.
To little effect. Sure the Government sacked the Council. But the Long Term Plan to rate the crap out of Mangawhai Ratepayers has stayed firmly in place, and appointed Commissioners are simply doing what Government told them to do: "...implement the Long Term Plan... get the debt under control...".
Well. The news is that the ratepayers are not complying.
Civil disobedience is what they are demonstrating.
4 comments:
Has there been such a rates revolt of similar scale before in New Zealand?
Fascinating to observe, be interesting to see the outcome in due course. Could set some interesting precedents.
Did you talk to any local real estate agents (although they may have an interest in playing down any "flight") to get a clearer picture of the extent of any increase in properties for sale? After all, this is the time of the year when the "For Sale" signs proliferate.
Good question. I didn't talk to any agents, but there's a lot of talk in the village. I've been up there a lot over the past 5 years or so, and while I agree with you that this is the time of year for selling, I have not seen selling on this scale before. It wasn't as if the streets were alive with buyers either - open homes appeared empty. Sales are happening, but at a significant discount reflecting concern at current and future rating liabilities and uncertainty.
http://mangawhairatepayers.ning.com/
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