I am getting a bit sick of the Mayor's photo and carefully considered comments on our rates increases.

His cronies back him up with glib assurances of their (the rates increases) necessity. If we look at Council's gift of $2million to Land Transport to facilitate the underpass construction at Bayfair, and the $900,000 relief package for small business owners in the city we see a council who only seem to empathise with the people of Tauranga.

The thing is that the underpass was going to be constructed anyway. Public opinion pretty well guaranteed that. Small business owners are being supported by Central Government. Sure it's not cash that Council are handing out, it's rates and fees relief, but it does impact on revenue.

They still seem to be hell bent on increasing our rates by a huge amount when incomes are at their lowest. They do harp on about the consequences of delaying infrastructural work but now isn't the time to drop that on ratepayers. By all means continue to beg the government for help but I think we'll find they already have a job for their money. Keep rates at the present level (or lower) and we'll all be very grateful.

D Russell, Welcome Bay