The announcement that Tauranga City Council is to proceed with the civic administration building replacement, plus probable library, museum, and performing arts centre, without gaining majority approval from the 55,000-plus ratepayers, is just another indication of the lack of concern over the ability of the ratepayer base to absorb the large rating increase that will result.
We live in a city where most people have access via computer or smartphone to the internet, which makes it relatively easy for council, to conduct an inexpensive referendum/poll, to gain majority ratepayer consent, before proceeding with such huge capital expenditure.
There is already too much accumulated council debt, don't increase it.

Peter Stanley, Mount resident and ratepayer.