Plus, I would suspect the thinking was if you can’t afford the fuel tax you can take a bus.

This raises another question. Was the Auckland fuel tax only on petrol? As in if you drive a big diesel ute you don't pay? Or was it on all fuels? What about trucks? Farm deliveries?

It hand’t all been spent yet because contracts had been signed but work hadn’t started yet. As he said, all removing the regional fuel tax does is get rid of these projects, because he will not raise rates.

Presumably these projects were being done because they are needed, not for fun?

I find little difference between a fuel tax and a road toll - both are regressive taxes and affect lower income earners more.

I agree, they are basically the same thing. Both have road users pay for their use of the road based on how much they use it. Road tolls just come with the additional feature of being able to avoid paying by avoiding toll roads and instead using other roads that you aren't paying for (except through petrol tax, but then toll road users are paying twice).

In my opinion, the central government needs to step in across the country and fund the shit out of infrastructure upgrades. 3 waters, but for roads and rail as well.

The current government got in campaigning on returning power to councils. I doubt this will happen on any great scale.