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local authories

Hide: farmers are paying too much in rates

Liam Baldwin | Tuesday July 14, 2009 | 17 comments

Farmers' rates continue to climb as farm income drops, but local government minister Rodney Hide has told farmers any cash-saving rates reform would have to wait until after the Auckland super city is formed.

Throughout New Zealand, local authority operating expenditure is forecast to rise by 41% over the next 10 years and rates revenue by 59%.

The total rate take across all local authorities was $3.5 billion to June, 2008.