Like many people, I wonder why many current Tauranga City councillors have been conspicuous by their absence in the media and remiss promoting policies - or lack of - particularly as voting papers are with us now. Perhaps councillors believe that if they lay low the intense public criticism about poor performances, like the Civic Centre Project, the Route K sell-off and the alarming influence that developers and special interest groups are having on council decision-making will whistle over the top and they can fly under the radar.

Well things may not pan out quite as they might hope, because the Tauranga public are not happy with sub-par performances during the last three years, and failure to heed public opinion, promoting ‘nice to haves' as opposed to addressing critical essential infrastructure works.

Debt and increasing rates are unacceptable and gaffes relating to the Welcome Bay underpass, Hairini Bridge, Turret Rd upgrade remain major issues.

Local elected members have good reason to fear for their political futures as nothing positive has happened for Welcome Bay since 2007 elections.

Along with fellow TCC councillors they lumbered Tauranga citizens with the mega-million 15th Ave and Turret Rd upgrade costs. Voters need to think carefully about councillors who have supported ‘white elephants' particularly the draft civic centre project and draw their own conclusions when voting.

SL Paterson, Arataki.