29/01/2026
The Mayor of Masterton has just received a 7.54% salary increase. An extra $10,436 per year taking her mayoral base salary from $138,471 to 148,907.
So Bex is now getting all the rates paid for about 2.5 average urban houses as a pay increase.
Masterton Councillors also had a salary increase, but not as huge as the Mayor's. They increased by 3.80%. An extra $2,248 per year, taking their base salary from $59,165 to $61,414.
Each councillor got about 1/2 the rates of an average urban house as a pay increase.
https://www.taxpayers.org.nz/pay_rise_dashboard
Meanwhile we can expect to be paying 40% more in rates over the coming 5 years unless we can get that turned around. If you're currently paying around $4k/year in rates you'll be paying closer to $6k in rates 5 years from now.
Is that what you really want?
Championing Value For Money From Every Tax Dollar
