During the period 2015/16, all of our services will be provided to the city for around $2,506 per resident per year. Many of these services are provided free of any additional charge.
Your rates pay for the infrastructure that we take for granted, but also help us support the things that make our city great - like cultural institutions, community festivals and events, and outdoor public spaces like parks and the Botanic Gardens.
They also help us develop the city so that we can all enjoy a better quality of life - through cycling and public transport networks, and improvements to the layout of the city and suburbs.
This is how $5.69 per resident per day is spent:
Economic development
$0.52
on events, venues, tourism promotion, free weekend parking, supporting Te Papa.
Environment
$2.11
on water, rubbish & recycling, botanic gardens, town belt, walkways, parks, the Zoo and Zealandia.
Urban development
$0.38
on the waterfront and other public spaces, town planning, consents, heritage.
Transport
$0.80
on roads, footpaths, cycle facilties, car parks and supporting public transport.
Social & recreation
$1.42
on sportsfields, swimming pools, playgrounds, libraries, food safety.
Culture & Wellbeing
$0.26
on art galleries, museums, community events, festivals.
Governance
$0.22
on decisions, consultation, elections.
Did you know
Adults pay only $21 each to visit the zoo. The Council provides the zoo with a subsidy that is equal to $22 for each adult visitor.
Did you know
Your free on-street weekend parking is fully funded by the Downtown targeted rate.
Did you know
We are responsible for providing bus stops, shelters and bus lanes. Greater Wellington Regional Council is responsible for funding public transport services.
Did you know
Everytime you go for a swim, you only pay 38 percent of the real cost to provide that service. It's $5.90 for an adult to have a swim, but without the Council subsidy it would cost $15.50.
Did you know
Recycling is funded by a portion of landfill fees, not through rates.
Did you know
$94
the amount it costs per resident per year to provide 12 libraries with books, magazines, CDs and DVDs.
Did you know
Most of the great events we hold in the city are funded through the Commercial targeted rate and not through residential rates.