Dunedin City Council

Borrow responsibly for long-term projects like water and climate-resilience infrastructure.

Prioritise funding for services that directly affect low-income and at-risk residents.

Hold rates to the rate of inflation as a maximum.

Retire debt at the maximum possible rate.

Achieve this by eliminating non-core spending and investigating current contract arrangements for padding. Promote in house delivery.

Keep rates low by cutting wasteful spending and projects and focus on core services ratepayers rely on.

Review unused and underused council assets and reinvest funds into infrastructure like roads and water.

Scrutinise every dollar of spending to guarantee maximum value for ratepayers.

Lobby central government to stop giving local government unfunded mandates or changes, which impact on service delivery and leave budget holes.

Rebuild budgets from the bottom up, look for savings to keep rates down and pay off debt, and increase transparency for everyone.

Investigate user-pays for out-of-town visitors using council assets so they may contribute directly to management and infrastructure costs.

Maintain a balanced budget and keep debt at the current level with an aim to start paying it back in the not too distant future.

Improve investment returns from council-controlled companies as the portfolio needs to perform better.

Continue to provide services across the city without increased fees and charges.

Reduce forecast rates rises by prioritising essential services and cutting wasteful spending through a line-by-line review first.

Review all council spending, investments and assets with a focus on best use, value for money and long-term returns.

Reduce debt through disciplined financial management and transparent project cost controls that align with council expectations.

Hold citizens assemblies on the financial issues faced by council.

Support consensual decision making on the use of finances.

Allow spending to be guided by the results of the assemblies.

Ensure that debt is managed within the strict parameters set out in the Local Government Finance Act.

Advocate for financial transparency and financial prudence at all times.

Ensure that the 50-year plan developed by DCC is feasible, workable and generates finance; oppose putting rates up.

Stop any unnecessary projects and get rid of council debt first.

Make council investments profitable for ratepayers and sell those costing ratepayers money.

Focus on the cost of living crunch locally and not support rate cuts if they disproportionately impinge on the most vulnerable residents.

Continue investing in the city and appreciate the tough balance between debt burden and continuing vibrancy, growth and employment.

Focus on reducing rate increases over the long-term plan period, keeping Aurora in-house, focusing on a balanced budget and protecting Waipori investment.

Use rates for long-term capital investment to see a greater wealth spread around the city for current and future generations.

Investigate the reality of a land value rating system to encourage productive and prosperous land use, particularly within urban areas.

Advocate for the people of Dunedin by working with central government to avoid rate caps and funding cuts which only push costs onto the community.

Continue to reduce "nice to haves" so that rates rises can be less now that budget is balanced.

Reduce long-term capital expenditure so that debt repayment can take place now that it is flattening out in the long-term plan.

Make life easier for developers by simplifying consenting processes and explaining them accurately with checklists at the counter.

Reconsider the rating structure of local council through progressive rates based on land use.

Use fees and charges to encourage active transport modes, including parking fees to support bus transport in conjunction with ORC.

Consider future generations and their needs when making decisions now and be brave and bold to leave Otepoti as a better place.

Prioritise infrastructure upgrades over costly non-essential projects.

Advocate for fairer rates to ease the burden on low-income homeowners.

Review council spending to cut waste and focus on essential services.

Fight against the austerity policies of the national government who would starve Dunedin of infrastructure and oppose all ideological cuts.

Bring down rates by raising revenue through programmes and investments to bring more residents and businesses into the city.

Support the in-house model of Local Water Done Well to bring pipes and water infrastructure maintenance expenditure under control.

Conduct an exhaustive line-by-line review of all council budgets and expenditure, council-controlled organisations and council contracts.

Transparently review the decision to build a landfill at Smooth Hill, saving $92.4 million in capital cost and reducing municipal debt.

Focus on essential service delivery such as roads, Three Waters infrastructure and community facilities until Dunedin can return to a surplus.

Balance the wishes of the community with the affordability of rates, mindful of the need to future-proof the city.

Lobby the government strongly for financial tools other than rates, fees and charges, and debt to finance council activities.

Regularly review council investments with expert advice to get the best return for the city.

No further rates increases for the next three years, getting back to basics of council services. People cannot afford further rates increases.

Charge a small fee for non-residents to enter Dunedin public venues such as the museum and art gallery, removing funding burdens from ratepayers.

Refocus on essential services and reduce council input into private funding projects such as theatres, reducing the burden of spending.

Work with council to reduce rates rises for the next financial year and beyond. Current projections are too high.

Become a more demanding shareholder of council-owned companies and ensure dividends are paid by the profitable businesses owned.

Encourage open debate about debt borne by all NZ councils and strategies to limit increases.

Advocate for increased funding and investment from central government to local councils and core infrastructure to offset the burden on the people.

Ensure rates and debt go towards delivering infrastructure for a liveable city, increasing accessibility, sustainability and equity.

Consider council investment strategy to work on increasing financial gains from investment portfolio to alleviate rates reliance.

Advocate for central government to do its part in keeping rates down by investing more in Dunedin's core infrastructure.

Investigate moving to land value rates as a potentially more equitable property rating system.

Use debt to spread the costs of large capital projects in a way that is fair to present and future generations.

Change rates policy to be based solely on land value rather than capital value to avoid punishing homeowners for improving their properties.

Develop a long-term plan to minimise council debt and associated finance costs (interest).

Continue to invest in council-owned assets.

Reduce rates.

Control spending.

Liquidate debt.