Extra petrol tax for Aucklanders

[Jerry]

Auckland motorists will pay at least an extra five cents a litre for petrol as from next year.


Auckland Regional Council today voted in favour of imposing the additional tax, which would be used solely for public transport improvements.

The Government is considering a further five-cent petrol tax rise for Auckland, which would go towards new roads.

The Land Transport Amendment Bill, currently before a Parliamentary committee, has to be passed before either increase can be imposed.

If passed, the 5-cents-a-litre increase would come into effect on January 1, next year.

Regional council chairman Michael Lee said the money would be go towards implementing its 10-year transport plan, which includes electrification of the rail system and better bus and ferry services.

"This year we will be working ... to buy new, quieter and faster electric trains as part of wide-ranging improvements to train, bus and ferry services in time for the Rugby World Cup in 2011," he said.

Mr Lee said this was a better option than using rates to pay for the upgrades.

"Rates would have had to increase by 17 per cent each year for 10 years, which would be unaffordable for the people of Auckland."

The tax was supported as part of the council's adoption of its 2008-09 draft annual plan, which proposes a 4.95 per cent rates increase.

The plan has now been released for public submission. Public hearings will be held in May and June before the plan is finalised.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/4445531a19715.html

[coxsy]

this is a new idea , back when i was a teen , the auckland mayor propossed light rail he got shot down , cost to much , now we pay for that stupidity

[Heath]

They reakon the council rate will bring in 60-70 mil per year to pay for the trains and busses (how many are they going to buy?) and when they are paid for will the tax be removed (yeah right).

Didnt we just go thru a couple of taxes on petrol for roading in the last two years (about 5 cents and then another 4 cents) and now they need more? I guess the cash cow is fit for milking and unless we lift up our udders we are going to pay. So what can we do not use our cars? Then they will need more public transport and we will have to fund it somehow so we will get stung again. Dont forget the tax take on GST is going up with inflation and fuel prices (and I'm pretty sure the govt take on fuel is a percentage not a fixed amount as well)

Damned if we do and damned if we dont. I feel for the people who live in the peripheries of the council tax net and wont get anything out of the whole mess. At least I get to see the huge busway and the busses in my area (although the local council footed a lot of the bill for that I believe).

And before the JAFA bashing starts anew dont forget that if they can do it to us (the larger population) and wellywood then how hard would it be for all councils to do?

We have billions in surplusses and we still get taxed to the back teeth - Wankers.

[Taz]

Would be a bit fairer to upgrade the bus system etc first... I don't know what the locals think but I found it useless compared to Christchurch and it would only get worse with an influx of people that would start using public transport instead of paying the extra money.

Be interesting to see how much money they get from it in a year.

[Jerry]

if you want we can sell you our wellington trains, like new , one careful lady owner only used on sundays only 15000 miles on the clock (just ignore the fact they have been round the clock a few times) and seeing as they were built in the 1940's you get a cheaper registration

I'm sure that will pay for the new ones we'll even give you the special auckland rate

PS minus the 2 that the museum wants back that were borrowed back

[Heath]

Do we get politicians free with them?

Or are you lucky bugger going to keep them?

[Jerry]

Sure, how many do you want put them at the back and use the extra wind power as a turbo and we can even throw in some FREE greenies to plant in your garden

[tallsam66]

Well its about time.
The majority of people living outside of Auckland are sick or paying a fortune in taxes etc for it to be used in Auckland.
Get real & start to pay for you own facilities.

[coxsy]

hey been paying rates for over 25 years, to see it wasted by gits . think your elected gits do the same for you , we pay twosets of rates up here , as well, water rates, waste water,

[tallsam66]

hey been paying rates for over 25 years, to see it wasted by gits . think your elected gits do the same for you , we pay twosets of rates up here , as well, water rates, waste water,

Everyone pays separate components for water ,waste water etc..not just Auckland..

[TJ]

Well its about time.
The majority of people living outside of Auckland are sick or paying a fortune in taxes etc for it to be used in Auckland.
Get real & start to pay for you own facilities.

Only if we had any real "facilities" here in Auckland. This is an outrage and a down right blatant abuse of power by the councils as far as I am concerned. Whoever came up with the idea of ramp signals seriously needs their brain examined, obviously it is devoid of any logical thinking. They may have marginally increased average travelling speed on certain sections, but now the traffic jams have been moved to roads feeding the motorway. The signal blinks green and back to red faster than it takes for me to sneeze. You almost have to have F1 driver's reaction times and starting skills to beat the light. Do you think some of the money spent (rather wasted) on these ramp signals could have been used on Auckland roading project that these councils are talking about?

Hang on, what about if they come up with a general Auckland living surcharge because the World Cup will be held here!! I better stop now, there might be someone reading this and taking ideas.

I guess if this comes in effect, I'll start filling my tank outside of Auckland region when I am travelling! Its amazing how many people can become decision makers with minimal IQ and abosultely no sense of reality.

[smurf182]

Well its about time.
The majority of people living outside of Auckland are sick or paying a fortune in taxes etc for it to be used in Auckland.
Get real & start to pay for you own facilities.

I can't get my head around this sort of attitude. Auckland's population is ~1.3million, or over a quarter of the country's population. Now, I wonder where around a quarter of the country's tax take comes from? Yet I'm quite sure Auckland does not cover 1/4 of New Zealand's land area. This suggests to me that Jaffas do indeed pay their own way, and then some.

[Jerry]

The fuel revenue goes into the general government fund and pays for hip hop tours etc, the drops in the bucket left behind gets spent on the roads thats why they can't afford to maintain the roads properly

[85BJ73]

smurf812
I can't get my head around this sort of attitude. Auckland's population is ~1.3million, or over a quarter of the country's population. Now, I wonder where around a quarter of the country's tax take comes from? Yet I'm quite sure Auckland does not cover 1/4 of New Zealand's land area. This suggests to me that Jaffas do indeed pay their own way, and then some.

Don't be too sure on that, I was told a lot of the revenue raised by NZ as a whole was going to Auckland, I got that from a Transit NZ officer here in Wangaui who is reponsible for negotiating the "purchase" or "aquisition" of land for road re-alignment/modification.
It came up when I was asking when a local road, the Parapara highway was going to get some maintenance, and whether Transmission Gulley would happen. His reply was, in effect, "untill the Auckland roading situation is sorted, the rest of NZ will wait" He told me that was the edict "from above" and that many regional managers had complained when their budgets were cut, with the funds diverted to the Auckland roading projects. I was also told that is why after the 2004 storm that hit this region it took a while for roads to be repaired to a semblace of how they were before the storm. The policy is/was "hold and maintain, no new works unless they are cheaper than a repair, or repairs would be on going, making the new works viable"
Now, this conversation was about a year ago, but I can't see this policy changing too much really.
I have nothing against Aucklanders, as I feel this should have been sorted by central governement a long time ago.
The infrastucture in this country is in dire need of a re-think in my opinion.

[Heath]

Well its about time.
The majority of people living outside of Auckland are sick or paying a fortune in taxes etc for it to be used in Auckland.
Get real & start to pay for you own facilities.

I can't get my head around this sort of attitude. Auckland's population is ~1.3million, or over a quarter of the country's population. Now, I wonder where around a quarter of the country's tax take comes from? Yet I'm quite sure Auckland does not cover 1/4 of New Zealand's land area. This suggests to me that Jaffas do indeed pay their own way, and then some.

I agree, if the bigger cities (all cities not just Auckland and wellywood) didn't contribute to the up keep of the smaller comunitees what sort of roads and infrastructure do you think they would have? If it was all spent here we would have roads paved with gold (okay maybe just gold leaf) and would stretch to the borders of this magnificent region, not to mention the fully integrated and functioning flash buses and trains (which we dont have). But I guess it is always easier to pick on the big guy, just another tall poppies reaction (off with their heads). Just wait everyones turn will come, they will start in the big smokes and then move it out. I mean its free money and its for the good of the enironment, who would dare stand against it and what politician worth their freebees and pension would turn down a cash cow like that.

[Heath]

Sure, how many do you want put them at the back and use the extra wind power as a turbo and we can even throw in some FREE greenies to plant in your garden

You can keep the greens the would be surrounded by "weeds" before too long and we wouldnt be able to harvest anything.

[Bubba]

We have billions in surpluses and we still get taxed to the back teeth - Wankers.

I think you summed it up!!

Viva da Revolution

Isn't it time we took control of our own country, in many countries around the world, people wouldn't put up with this shit, they would be protesting in the streets or more. If we just roll over and accept that Gods own is becoming a Stalin like Communist lead State and that we no longer have the right or are to afraid to speak out about unjust manner that our country is being run then we deserve what we get.

[85BJ73]

I think what should really happen is the money collected for roading should go to roading, rather than the consolodated fund, which is where it ends up at the moment, then all our issues would be solved.

A revolution would ruin the country for all of us, step away from the gun.....

[dazza85]

I think what should really happen is the money collected for roading should go to roading, rather than the consolodated fund, which is where it ends up at the moment, then all our issues would be solved.

Exactly ... It has often been said that if all of the money that is collected via the current fuel tax's was spent on roading / transport NZ would have the best roads in the world.

And they wonder why so many people are buying 4x4's ... The roads are getting so bad they will soon be the only way of getting anywhere !!

[85BJ73]

dazza85
And they wonder why so many people are buying 4x4's ... The roads are getting so bad they will soon be the only way of getting anywhere !!

Now THATS FUNNY, but the sad part, it's damn near true too!!

[TJ]

I think what should really happen is the money collected for roading should go to roading, rather than the consolodated fund, which is where it ends up at the moment, then all our issues would be solved.

A revolution would ruin the country for all of us, step away from the gun.....

Well, it is an election year, show your choice with the vote. The problem may not necessarily be the politicians themselves, but the bureaucrats who give politician advice. May be these bureaucrats should be elected by the public as well. After all they are technically "public servants" and all of us collectively pay for their salaries through our taxes (personal, corporate, consumption/GST, excise, special purpose, etc.....)

I am very annoyed with where this trend is heading. Pretty soon someone will start the debate on tolling these roads that were built by "road tax". We will pay for them at least twice before someone puts an end to their greed.

[85BJ73]

TJ:
Well, it is an election year, show your choice with the vote. The problem may not necessarily be the politicians themselves, but the bureaucrats who give politician advice. May be these bureaucrats should be elected by the public as well. After all they are technically "public servants" and all of us collectively pay for their salaries through our taxes (personal, corporate, consumption/GST, excise, special purpose, etc.....)

I am very annoyed with where this trend is heading. Pretty soon someone will start the debate on tolling these roads that were built by "road tax". We will pay for them at least twice before someone puts an end to their greed.

You are exactly right, and as you say, changing politicians is really only changing the mouth piece, the question is how do we change the bureaurcats too? Electing them sounds like a good idea, but the cost?

[Heath]

That Pom Guy Fawkes had a good idea. Problem is there are too many of them to fit in one building and not enough powder.