Liz Whiteside, 71, has written to all seven regional councillors and chief executive Darryl Lew, taking them to task over soaring rate bills.
Ms Whiteside said she stopped paying her regional council rates three years ago when they went up 30%.
"You should all be ashamed of yourselves for giving ratepayers a horrendous increase," she wrote.
This year’s 27% average increase would make the regional rates even less affordable for superannuitants, she said.
"I’m an elderly pensioner nearing the end of my life who has worked hard despite a permanent disability and I don’t agree with throwing money away on a service I am not receiving."
Superannuitants living alone are paid about $1000 a fortnight.
Ms Whiteside said she was already paying $125 a fortnight for Grey District rates, which had risen 18% this year.
"This alone takes a big chunk out of my fortnightly superannuation. But I don’t begrudge paying this due to receiving services from the District Council such as water and sewerage."
The Regional Council, on the other hand, was not providing any services she considered useful or relevant to her property, she said.
A flood wall being built by the council along the Hokitika River, to future-proof the area, was in part unnecessary, Ms Whiteside claimed.
"I have lived in my property for 44 years and the highest I’ve seen the river in flood was the water entering the gravel pit ... it’s never come over the top."
The council has referred her unpaid rates to debt collection and she was receiving letters demanding payment, Ms Whiteside said.
But she was refusing to open the envelope.
"I’m in no doubt the amount showing is now $1194.12 ... money I don’t have and can’t pay."
She had offered to drip-feed the council $20 a fortnight, for three years, which was all she could afford.
Ms Whiteside said she would fiercely resist any attempt by the council to sell her property to recover the debt.
Regional Council chairman Peter Haddock said he had rung Mrs Whiteside after hearing about her concerns.
"We don’t want to put people out of their homes - we have a hardship policy and if they can’t afford their rates, they need to get in touch with our rates team and we can work out a payment plan they can afford."
He did not expect Mrs Whiteside would see a 27% increase because she was not in a special rating district.
Cr Allan Birchfield said many West Coast superannuitants would be in the same position.
• LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
-0 By Lois Williams
