UPDATED 4:00pm: Auckland's mayor's confident the government will change the laws to allow a motorway toll in Auckland.

MORE: Mayor puts Warriors move on ice

Len Brown's committed to just three years of a $99 transport levy on top of rates to pay for major transport projects.

He's adamant he'll get the government on side within that time.

"This is all about showing government we are totally committed and are prepare das Aucklanders to actually stump up with part of the costs."

Councillors voted 15-7 in favour of the levy at today's budget meeting this morning.

Brown says it's been a long time coming, and it's absolutely the right decision.

"We've been having this debate for five and a half, six years and the debate is simple - are we going to fix transport? Yes. Do we have to pay for it? Yes we do."

Levies the popular choice for ratepayers

The public showed more support for the motorway toll than a rates levy in the 27,000 submissions sent to the council on Auckland's Long Term Plan, but Brown contends it could take up to two to three years to get the government on side.

• Mayor puts Warriors move on ice

He argues it's already taken him two campaigns to get to this point, and it will take a law change to implement a motorway toll.

"Quite frankly I wish that Aucklanders had got a hold of this decades ago...we are actually picking up the tab now for inactivity, or lack of activity, of generations."

Brown is confident tolls will be in place within three years.

A main issue raised in opposition is the impact a levy will have on rate payers and those who are already struggling to pay their rates.

Councillor Denise Krum disagrees, arguing the council's not gone to the public in a clear manner about the levy and it's come a a surprise to ratepayers.

She believes the transport levy is the public's least favoured option.

"We have to do what's best by Auckland, and that's always the genre in which we talk around this table, but we also have to do what's best by Aucklanders - those that will pay the targeted rate."

Councillors will vote on the transport levy later today.

The council's two day budget approval meeting - which will put in place the city's direction for the next 10 years - takes place today and tomorrow.

The budget then kicks in from the start of July.

The councillors are set to rubber stamp the following:

- debt will be paid off

- new transport infrastructure will be built - but it will be paid for by a $99 levy on households for the next three years and a $159 charge on businesses, at which stage the council hopes government law changes allowing motorway tolls to be charged.

- rates will rise by an average of 2.5 percent this year

- and by 3.5 percent every year after that.

- the cost of water, pensioner flats and council services could rise.

- spending on parks and local services could be cut back.

- the City Rail Link will be started

- inorganic roadside collections would cease

- some libraries would have their hours cut back, including Sunday closing.

- a new council controlled organisation would come into existence called Development Auckland - to concentrate on urban development.