Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has today formally requested that Auckland Transport immediately stop work on projects funded by the city’s regional fuel tax.
Brown wrote to the chair of Auckland Transport (AT) on Tuesday, confirming that the Government’s decision to scrap the Regional Fuel Tax (RFT) on July 1 would have an impact on funding for AT.
“Auckland Transport must not assume that RFT funding will simply be replaced by higher council rates or debt,” the mayor said.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the axing of the fuel tax last week, saying it was not being used to fund projects that met the Government’s and mayor Brown’s transport priorities.
The regional fuel tax is due to come to an end by June 30. National MP Brown said legislation would be introduced to Parliament to repeal the tax as part of the coalition Government’s 100-day plan.
“Since July 1, 2018, Aucklanders have faced an additional 11.5 cents per litre tax on fuel, over and above what the rest of the country pays, increasing the cost of living at a time when they can least afford it. Ending this tax is one way to reduce the price of fuel and ease some of the financial pressure facing households in our largest city,” he said.
Today, the mayor has called for AT to take immediate steps “to avoid incurring unfunded costs”.
NZ Herald
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