Photo: Otago Daily Times / Stephen JaquieryA Stewart Island/Rakiura ratepayer on the receiving end of a 500 percent rates hike received little sympathy from the district councillors this week. On Monday, the unnamed person made headlines after appearing in a Southland District Council report for contesting a jump in their rates from $348.68 to $1743.95 in the space of one year. In its report, council staff pointed out the nature of the land would have been highlighted in a LIM report, showing what was at stake with the rating situation. Ultimately, councillors voted for no rates remission to be applied to the Rata Street property for the 2023/24 financial year. The average rates increase for Southland district for 2023/24 was 13 percent.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 07, 2024 07:47 UTC