Quote Originally Posted by Bjauck View Post
Rates are payments for council services - i.e. the beloved user pays. Landlords recover their rate expense through the rent that they charge their tenants. In Auckland there is a uniform general charge element to rates. That means part of the rate is the same whether the value is $500,000 or $5m. There can also be a targeted rate for amenities in the property’s neighbourhood.

We are talking about central government taxes. Not the payment for council services.
BS they are taxes at a local government level, just like taxes for services at central government but obfuscated as rates, levies, contributions, there’s no difference for the tax payer. It’s all tax.