Ex-Tauranga City Councillor Michael Baker looks to have a predilection and obsession with the new interim CEO's salary and his terms of engagement which is pretty similar to what the late Ken Paterson received. It is far less than that endorsed by Mr Baker and the Crosby clan for Town which was over $400,000 annually for both the 2009 and 2010 years and it is very clear where that ‘mutual admiration' stuff led TCC ratepayers. More on the bureaucracy, each Section Manager receives about $220,000 a year by my reckoning.
Leigh Auton looks to have been chosen (because he was not part of the existing Council administration mindset) to implement a staff and systems re-jig which has the potential to save Tauranga Council ratepayers many millions of dollars. Mr Baker seems to be suggesting there is something sinister about what is happening which just cannot be the case when one bothers to check it all out.
Anyway Mr Baker by all accounts has never been favourably disposed toward any TCC Council audit initiatives nor did he seriously oppose profligate TCC Council spending in the past so how come he is now waxing lyrical on these issues. What could his agenda or motive be, I wonder?

R Paterson, Matapihi.