July 21, 2020
Marae fund protected despite council cuts
Funding for Māori outcomes, support for the homeless and moving council cleaners on to the living wage have been preserved in the emergency budget passed by Auckland Council.
Mayor Phil Goff says setting a 3.5 percent rate rise instead of 2.5 percent gave the council room to move.
But with $500 million lost from revenue because of COVID-19, it was either increase rates by 28 percent or find cuts and other savings.
More than 1000 staff will go, including 600 temporary and contract staff, but some projects were declared off limits to the razor gang.
“Repairing and upgrading marae, work on ensuring procurement for young Māori and Pasifika workers through things like the Southern Initiative and the Western Initiative, all of those things are really important to us if we want an inclusive city,” Mr Goff says.
Copyright © 2020, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com