The text below is that of myself John Funnell, not necessarily that of the Taupo District Councillors.
Trump’s war has dramatically increased fuel prices, which is having a ripple effect across the economy. Ratepayers will be worried that increased fuel costs will lead to increased consumer costs. When these increased costs are added to the increased rate costs, it will be a financial challenge that many residents cannot afford.
I have requested the council CEO to act like all Taupo residents facing the same problems, to cut spending. Families are doing it tough and having to make sacrifices due to the rise in fuel prices, which will flow through to higher food and consumer prices. We all will have to make choices to spend less, choices that residents do not want to make, but are forced to because they cannot increase their income.
Like Taupo residents, the council needs to work out what it can economise on, what it can do without and what can be delayed.
Taupo has a large number of fixed-income pensioners who cannot alter their income just because Trump chooses to attack Iran. In some cases, they are spending more than a quarter of their income on rates, and life is tough when you lose one out of every four dollars that comes in to fund the council. Currently, the Council is working through the district’s long-term plan; your comments are important.
There are thirteen elected members in council, of which I am one. Each of us only has one vote. I am keen to hear of any suggestions that could reduce or cut costs.
