District councillors in Whangarei have voted to reject a pay rise that was ordered by the Remuneration Authority.
The council had turned down pay rises last year, when it argued that accepting more money in a recession would be wrong.
The authority decided on a 7.2% pay rise for councillors and a 5% increase for mayor Stan Semenoff this year.
Although Mr Semenoff says councillors probably deserve a pay rise, he says it is still not appropriate.
He refuses to have a mayoral car and says he has not used his council credit card.
The council has asked the authority to reconsider.
