Council drops rates bombshell on Rodney

Rodney homeowners have been blindsided by rates hikes that far exceed the 5.8 per cent total increase Auckland Council announced in June, which was included in its annual plan (annual budget) for 2025/26. At the time, Mayor Wayne Brown said, “The good news is that our rate rise is the same 5.8 per cent that we promised last year in the Long-term Plan (council’s 10-year budget for 2024/34), and it’ll still be the lowest of any of the cities, by a long way, and that’s the good news.” However, rather than the promised 5.8 per cent, many ratepayers calculated rises closer to 50 per cent when they ...