During yesterday’s district council meeting, where passionate speeches were made in the public forum, including a call from Grey Power chairman Stan Randle for one or two councillors to resign over the proposed increases, the annual plan was adopted unanimously.
The average rates increase will be around 18% but in urban areas that will be closer to 30%.
Mr Randle spoke in the public forum before the councillors began their deliberations.
His group wanted the council to commit to limiting rates increases to the rate of inflation, which was 4%.
Ratepayers wanted to know in more detail what services they were getting and how much they cost, Mr Randle said.
When he was advised the five minutes allowed for each speaker in the public forum were up, Mr Randle said that typified the concerns of the ratepayers.
"We spent considerable time putting this to you. I have had so much feedback from the people after that meeting to say we want to know about this, and about that, and clearly you guys aren’t interested and that typified the problem that we’ve got."
Mayor Tim Cadogan said the councillors had to make a decision at yesterday’s meeting.
Mr Randle was not done.
"All I can say is there will be repercussions."
Mr Cadogan said the system was broken and Central Otago was not alone in having huge rates increases this year.
He asked Mr Randle for Grey Power’s view on raising debt to reduce rates. Mr Randle did not respond to that question.
When Mr Randle said the councillors did not care about the ratepayers Mr Cadogan stopped him.
"To say we don’t care is hurtful and I won’t tolerate it. We’ve got solo parents around this table, we’ve got pensioners around this table, we’ve got renters around this table — we all care."
Farmer and former Act New Zealand MP Gerry Eckhoff also spoke.
He said it was disappointing there were not whole council meetings where the public could have their say.
Mr Cadogan said there had been submission meetings, at which Mr Eckhoff spoke, and that had been as long as had been needed for people to have their say.
Cromwell councillor Sarah Browne said she, "hand on heart", could not afford the increase and had had a "hard conversation" with her children about what the family would have to cut out to pay their rates.
Cr Browne asked if the council could reconsider penalties for non-payment of rates. If people could not afford the rates, adding penalties would not help.
Cr Tracy Paterson said they were all hearing what people thought in the supermarket, pub and around their own dinner tables.
Agreeing with Cr Paterson, Cr Cheryl Laws assured that things were "not good in my house" when discussing the increases around the dining table. Her husband Michael Laws is on the Otago Regional Council.
