NZ councils float wish-list for funding changes to reduce reliance on rates

NZ councils float wish-list for funding changes to reduce reliance on rates
By Paul McBeth July 21 (BusinessDesk) - Local Government New Zealand, which represents the nation's 78 local authorities, wants greater flexibility in the way its members fund their operations, with property rates too narrow to address the changing economic and demographic challenges facing councils. The local government body today released a manifesto with 10 proposals it says will help authorities create incentives to support economic growth, and wants to set up special economic zones to try out new ideas, president Lawrence Yule told t...