The purpose of the recently-formed WCIA is to collaborate on business related matters with all local business, and ‘yes’ the BID was the motivating mechanism that has brought so many like-minded members to subscribe.
WCIA already has more members from within the BID boundary than the Warkworth Area Business Association (WABA), with strong support from retail, commercial, industrial and landlords.
The BID is an Auckland Council initiative which is using WABA to promote this erroneous policy. If the BID is successful, it gives excessive power to WABA to extort funds through targeted rates as a percentage of each commercially rated property within the boundary. There is no escaping this – you must pay your rates and, despite WABA and Auckland Council denials, the rate can be changed without much fuss.
Whenever a BID has been unsuccessful, our investigations show Auckland Council has amended its process to prevent further BID opponents utilising such methods again. Plugging the holes if you like. This shows how much the Council want these BIDs in all business districts. A recent meeting with Local Board members clearly indicated these BIDs in all districts are second only to the Mayor’s pet rail project, to enable Council to stop funding any form of business related spending or promotion of the area, Santa parades, Kowhai festivities, etc.
Council has funded WABA’s promotion of the BID to the sum of $75,000 according to media reports over a recent period leading up to this vote. Not that this appears on WABA’s financial reporting made available to its members to date. Of course this money doesn’t come from Council, it’s actually the ratepayers. Yes you!
Our enquiries show us that all is not well in districts where BIDs have been implemented. Once again, despite the denial of WABA and Council, the simple fact that as few as 12.5 per cent of eligible votes can see the BID succeed is not democratic. This is how the policy has been written, and it relies on the apathy of businesses to not want to know the facts until it’s too late. This is why the WCIA is presenting a balancing view for the discerning local business fraternity to make educated and informed decisions prior to voting.
Other unrelated issues WCIA are currently advocating on are local postal problems, Western Collector route progress, non-publicly notified resource consent applications that will affect the whole of Warkworth, growth of industry in the area particularly hi tech – high value business.
We wish to acknowledge the generosity of many of our members who over the years have donated to the whole community to see such valuable community assets like the Jane Gifford, the wharf and river, Santa parades, Kowhai Festivals, trolley derbys, local security and the like. Such generosity will not be as forthcoming should these members be forced into the proposed target rated funding of WABA.
If you haven’t registered to vote, please do so, registrations have not closed.
The whole community will be divided if the BID is implemented.
