Tag: New Zealand

Betterment Taxes And Inclusionary Zoning?

· 2 Comments ·

Some Homework for Auckland Citizens

 

As we await the release of the Draft Unitary Plan on March 15  I would like to bring to your attention two items being sort for discussion in the Unitary Plan by Council. They are called “Sharing Land Value Uplift from Rezoning” and “Inclusionary Zoning;” of which both come under “Additional Tools for Enabling Affordable Neighbourhoods” under the Draft Unitary Plan.

 

Now these two options can be found from Page 67 in the embedded document below (so you might need to scroll if Scribd does not automatically go to that page):

 

For you homework I would like you to read these two “Additional Tools for Enabling Affordable Neighbourhoods” then post for your feedback here at BR:AKL on them.

Wikipedia also has a nice piece on Inclusionary Zoning which you can see by clicking the respective hyperlinks in red. I noticed Inclusionary Zoning is a tool from the USA while Sharing Land Value Uplift is from the UK.

 

However, I am currently reading it and from what I interpret so far both tools are additional taxes to middle and upper class citizens in a wealth distributing exercise for the lower and working classes here in Auckland. In effect Auckland Council is going to be coercing either directly or indirectly (through developers having to comply and as a result pass extra costs on) citizens and developers through regulations and plans to at least set aside for “affordable housing” (which is often becomes social housing) rather than do the actual opposite and liberalise our regulations and plans allowing at least developers to act more freely in providing a range of housing without costing the citizenry in Auckland.

 

So either you get a tax slugged on top of your rates and maybe targeted rates for whatever the Council decides to do with that money, or coerced into providing social housing at the cost of a large bulk of Auckland citizenry who end up carrying the can for this provision (rather than the State undertaking the social housing exercises via Housing NZ).

Time to delved deeper into these two new coercive and taxation regimes lurking in the Unitary Plan draft.

 

Remembering I stand for a more liberalised planning and provision approach to building neighbourhoods in Auckland.

 

February Blog Rankings Out

·

BR:AKL Continues Improvement in Ranks

 

Open Parachute has released their February 2013 New Zealand Blog Rankings. You can find the complete list over at “February ’13 – NZ blogs sitemeter ranking” which is compiled by Open Parachute at the beginning of a new month.

 

This is where BR:AKL is for February 2013:

73 Ben Ross: Auckland 1987 3040

 

Checking back through Sitemeter February was the blog’s third best month with growth tracking well since December. This month I will be in Australia (Sydney and Brisbane) for two weeks so there will be slight interruption in commentary (plenty of holiday snaps will be uploaded however 😀 ) in Auckland issues as well as me missing the launch of the draft Unitary Plan. However as we draw closer to the elections at the end of the year BR:AKL will be for sure keeping an eye on candidates seeking our votes. Work on BR:AKL projects like the Alternative Unitary Plan, and Southern Auckland Future Growth plans will also continue; as well as keeping Auckland Transport “honest” and pushing for feedback on Sky-Path.

 

So a big shout out and thanks to all the readers (and commenters) at BR:AKL. Without you the blog would not be possible

 

Oh and I do not run the blog out of a basement as Open Parachute’s picture would suggest 😛 . The main computer is actually in the living room where I can survey the entire property as well as having the phone and tablet at hand when out in the field. However changing the world – well yeah, one more step at a time 😀

 

BEN ROSS : AUCKLAND

Shining The Light – To a Better Papakura (OUR home)
AND
To a Better Auckland – (OUR City)

Auckland 2013: YOUR CITY – YOUR CALL

 

From Sitemeter

This Year's Visits and Page Views by Month

Note: Please check Open Parachute’s FAQ section on discrepancies between the above figures and the figures in their automated table

Generation Zero: Support on Public Transport

· 1 Comment ·

Press Release from Generation Zero

 

On

 

Increasing Support for Public Transport Investment

 

I have certainly not forgotten about Generation Zero and their efforts for more balanced transport funding. This was from them today over the latest UMR Poll in regards to transport funding support levels:

 

From Scoop.co.nz – Scoop Media

Poll shows Govt’s dinosaur transport plans behind the times

Monday, 25 February 2013, 3:41 pmPress Release: Generation Zero

Poll shows Government’s ‘dinosaur’ transport plans behind the times

25 February 2013

Youth organisation Generation Zero has endorsed a recent poll by UMR research showing that support for spending on public transport has doubled over the last 20 years.

When asked whether they preferred Government money being spent on motorways and public roads or on public transport, 48 per cent of survey participants supported spending on public transport – in contrast, 37 per cent supported spending on motorways and public roads.

The poll by UMR Research shows the changing times in New Zealand with a reverse from 1992, when 43 per cent of those surveyed preferred Government money to be spent on motorways and other public roads, compared with 25 per cent support for public transport as the priority spending candidate.

Generation Zero spokesperson Louis Chambers said, “It’s time for the Government to get with the times on transport funding in New Zealand.”

The centrepiece of the Government’s transport strategy is to spend over $12 billion on its seven so-called ‘Roads of National Significance’.

To raise the money for these motorways, the Government has had to raise fuel taxes and is amending the Land Transport Management Act to allow the New Zealand Transport Agency unlimited borrowing capacity with only a signoff from the Finance Minister required.

Meanwhile, the Government is refusing to fund smart transport initiatives like the Auckland City Rail Link, and the National Land Transport Programme 2012-15 shows that for every dollar invested in new infrastructure for rail, buses, walking and cycling, 20 dollars will be spent on new state highways.

“This poll shows that New Zealanders understand our transport future can’t look like the past, and smart cities need smart transport systems to support them,” said Mr Chambers.

“But the Government doesn’t seem to get it – spending billions on unnecessary and uneconomic motorways like the Kapiti Expressway at the expense of vital smart transport projects like the City Rail Link.”

“The Government’s dinosaur transport plans will entrench ‘business as usual’, locking us into increased carbon emissions and dependence on foreign oil. As young Kiwis, that’s not what the future we want to be handed.”

“It’s time to deliver New Zealanders the better public transport systems that they’re calling for, but this will only be possible if we stop throwing money at these motorways of madness.”

About Generation Zero:
Generation Zero is an independent youth organisation seeking to catalyse action on climate change in New Zealand. For more information see:
www.generationzero.org.nz
www.facebook.com/GenerationZero

ENDS

——————————————————

The UMR poll was pretty convincing and I am willing to support Generation Zero in their call made above about our Dinosaur Central Government being that – Dinosaurs in regards to these Roads of National (Party) Significance.

BR:AKL also continues to support Generation Zero’s 50:50 transport funding campaign. 😀