Saving money is one of the main focuses in Auckland's Mayor Phil Goff's 10-year Recovery Budget proposal

Goff is proposing selling surplus properties to invest in critical infrastructure and a one-off five percent rates increase for the next financial year, before reverting to 3.5 the following year.

He says without a budget to counter the one billion dollar financial hole caused by Covid, the city will go backwards.

Goff says it will help the city find a way forward without giving up any long term plans.