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Joined: 07 Aug 2008
Posts: 1853
Location: The Wild West
Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 10:34 am Post Subject: Len Brown - Corporate Tax Collector
Just like the Sherrif Of Nottingham in days gone by we now have a Souper City mayor showing his true colours and beginning to really live up to all the expectations of people who knew what was coming with the centralisation of power in NZ's largest city. Smilin' Lenny's come up with several revenue earning ideas in his short stint so far as Auckland's Mare and ALL of them really amount to nothing more than extra tax burdens on the hapless residents of the city. The transpoot minataur spells it out very clearly for everyone to see below with the words "Mr Joyce says a congestion charge is not the way to go as it is just another tax"... And look, there's that old chesnut "public-private partnerships" (read "sell-off to private corporate ownership"). What is repeated in every news article so far though are the words "...its success in London" (no mention of the huge public protests & associated problems?) so keep an eye on this one 'cos you can bet some extra charge is coming before too long just like an upcoming toll on every motorway & road, especially once they become privately "owned". Remember that old Fabian saying "It won't happen overnight, but it will happen" (or was that a Pantene ad - I don't remember now!) 8)
Minister dismisses Auckland congestion charge 05 August 2011
9:14 am NZ time
Transport Minister Steven Joyce is dismissing the need for a congestion charge for Auckland motorists.
Auckland mayor Len Brown on Thursday unveiled his 10-year plan for the city, which included the possibility of the charge.
The mayor said the council will go to the community over plans to raise an extra $10 billion over 20 years for roading projects, public transport and rail links. A congestion or network charge is an option, as are tolling, public-private partnerships and tax incentive funding.
Mr Joyce told Morning Report that Auckland Council is a long way off needing the type of investment Mr Brown has claimed.
"The city has a very big balance sheet and the mayor's ruled pretty much everything out in terms of what to do with that balance sheet
"I think road users would probably say 'well hang on, you go back and look at what you've got before you come running at us.'"
Mr Joyce says a congestion charge is not the way to go as it is just another tax.
The council's transport committee chairman, Mike Lee, says the charge would be a regressive tax that would hit working people in the pocket.
He says most road user charges go to the private sector and the money is not reinvested into councils.
AA doubts charge would work
The Automobile Association doubts a congestion charge would work in Auckland despite its success in London.
A similar charge of £10 a day was successfully introduced in London nearly 10 years ago to ease gridlock and raise funds.
AA spokesperson Simon Lambourne says Auckland's transport system is nowhere near as efficient as the London Underground.
In addition, he says, Auckland is hugely spread out and people working there are not going only to the city centre, but are travelling in many directions.
Pay Pay Pay!!! With what sir with what!? I have nothing left!? Cant you sell something? What about the clothes off your back? They would be worth a couple of dollars for the toll! lol
Joined: 07 Aug 2008
Posts: 1853
Location: The Wild West
Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 4:10 pm Post Subject:
Here's one of many clues as to Lenny's agenda and his promise of things to come for the Souper City (which obviously will be on a much grander scale than anything he f'd up in manukau!) -
Len Brown leaves Manukau Council in a sea of debt Political Animal
Monday, 14 March 2011
Accounts just out on Len Browns last 16 months as mayor of Manukau City show he spent at least 400 million dollars more than budgeted for.
It doesn't look good for the amalgamated Auckland City in respect to rate rises.
They might be rising twice the inflation rate for 2011-12 9 (twice as much as Len promised pre election)but they look set to rise higher than that in the coming years to pay for the debt that Len is going to rack up on our behalf.
Joined: 07 Aug 2008
Posts: 1853
Location: The Wild West
Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 4:52 pm Post Subject:
Note the "Ways To Pay" at the bottom of this slightly earlier article. 'Betterment charges' on properties? Fux ache! You're right Deano! Some people will literally be selling the clothes off their back to live in Smilin' Lenny's one-eyed vision for the Souper City! ("...he was mindful of keeping his eye on the inner city rail loop". Whose "eye" is that again Lenny?)
Rail loop toll plan triggers new clash By Bernard Orsman
5:30 AM Friday Aug 5, 2011
Auckland Mayor Len Brown and the Government are at loggerheads again over the $2.4 billion inner city rail loop - this time over how it will be funded.
Mr Brown yesterday proposed road tolls and congestion charges in the central area as ways to pay for what he called the city's key project for the next 10 years.
A regional fuel tax and a "betterment" levy on properties which benefit from the rail loop are also being considered by a council team that has spent months investigating alternative cash sources for large transport projects.
Last night, Transport Minister Steven Joyce ruled out a regional fuel tax and said he had "significant reservations" about tolls and congestion charging, as motorists already contributed about 11 per cent of their fuel taxes to public transport.
"I don't think anyone would buy the suggestion that that very, very expensive project should just be paid for by road users," he said.
Mr Brown and Mr Joyce have clashed repeatedly over the rail loop.
The minister says an economic case for the 3.5km tunnel has not been made.
Mr Brown must provide funding for the rail loop in a 10-year budget being prepared under his name, and say where the money is coming from.
He said the project would require new funding sources if rates increases were to be held at around the rate of inflation
Details about possible tolls, congestion charges or a regional fuel tax will have to be released shortly if they are to be debated and included in the 10-year budget for approval next June.
Mr Brown's chief of staff, Phil Wilson, said: "There will be some reasonable concrete ideas in the long-term plan by June next year of alternative funding sources."
Mr Wilson said it would be another three or four years before tolls would be needed to finance the rail loop because there was enough money in existing budgets for preliminary work on the $2.4 billion project.
The council would need Government approval to proceed with new cash sources, such as tolls, he said.
Previously, the Council for Infrastructure Development has pushed for a $1 to $2 charge on vehicles using Auckland's motorway network to pay for big projects, and Transport Agency consultants believe tolls of $6 to $8 could pay for a new Auckland harbour crossing.
Speaking at yesterday's preliminary rundown of the 10-year budget to the council's strategy and finance committee, Mr Brown said the document would be a mix of principle with a strong pragmatic streak.
One of the "lines in the sand" for the mayor was no sale of council shares in Auckland Airport or Ports of Auckland.
Mr Brown appeared to drop an election promise to complete a rail link to the airport by 2020 and rail to the North Shore by 2025.
The mayor indicated there would no funding for the two big rail projects in the 2012-2022 budget, just work to protect the two rail routes.
Later, he said the two plans were still part of his vision, but he was mindful of keeping his eye on the inner city rail loop.
