Fundraising for a Labour future
Hi [Name]
This Thursday evening the Rimutaka Labour Electorate Committee will be holding our annual fundraising dinner at the China City restaurant, 9 Main Street, Upper Hutt. As well as dinner and drinks, the night will feature special guests from the Labour caucus and the opportunity to purchase signed memorabilia from Labour MPs.
It also be a great opportunity to spend a fun night with fellow Labour Party supporters! Tickets are $40. Come and help us build our warchest for the 2011 election campaign.
With funding cuts in areas such as health and early childhood education, it's increasingly clear that National is working for the few, not the many. Let's make sure we're in a strong position to change that next year.
We're pulling out the stops to ensure Labour can win in 2011. We need your help. It would be great to see you on Thursday night.
Things kick off at 7pm and tickets or tables can be reserved by contacting Janette Granville, LEC Secretary, 027 481-0584.
Cheers,
Chris Hipkins
MP for Rimutaka
Celebrating Heritage Month
I visited Golders Cottage last week to promote local history as a part of Heritage Month. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. Experiencing how much of a day-to-day struggle it was for early settlers in the Hutt Valley really makes you appreciate all of the comforts and conveniences that we take for granted today.Golder’s Cottage is an excellent asset to the community and I encourage everyone to visit the fantastic heritage sites that our community has to offer.
Heritage Month highlights the importance of preserving and valuing our community heritage sites. Golder’s Cottage is celebrating Heritage Month by showcasing Main Street to the River, a set of displays on the historical urban development between the Golder Homestead and the Hutt River.
Rates rebate cuts
National has cut $58m from the rates rebate scheme that was significantly overhauled by the last Labour government to help low-income home owners who have trouble paying their rates.
The cut is just another cruel blow for the most vulnerable in the Rimutaka community.The rates rebate scheme was designed in recognition of the fact that owning your own home is still the Kiwi dream for many in our community.
Some home owners are struggling, however, in these tough times to afford the basic necessities. We want to keep people in their homes, and not force them out.
In Upper Hutt approximately 1500 homeowners are eligible for the rates rebate, but only 61 percent, or 927, have taken the scheme up. In Lower Hutt 3000 are eligible but only 65 percent, or 1922, have taken up the scheme. Perhaps because many people who are eligible simply do not know it exists.
We need to get this information out there, to let people who are really struggling know that there is help. To find out whether you’re eligible for a rate rebate, go online and visit the Department of Internal Affairs website at www.dia.govt.nz and search ‘rates rebate scheme'.
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