Not so long ago (6-months) the gleefully happy TCC Councillors dreamed of what to do with the last year's $3.70m surplus. TCC rate policy requires $500,000 (leaving $3.20m) to reduce TCC debt from say $510m to $509.5m… that's really meaningful?
TCC policy says: the annual rate increase is a maximum of CPI+growth, TCC said 0.6%/0.6% respectively, the $3.20m(3.1% of rates) surplus and around $1.45m(1.3% of rates) staff layoff salary savings. The real increase is 5.60%, Council still says only 0.60%?
Well you guessed it, they spent it, like that's good for ratepayers' that purse empty feeling? It's a 'kind of magic” where it's all yours but you never get to see, it's spent never to be seen again, are we surprised? Looks to be a typical election year with in-disguise full-on spending but really it's actually ratepayers own money that's been gone west!
Last blow to ratepayers is $43m borrowed for drainage. TCC have added another 2% to rates (less than interest) history is repeating, the actual rates increase 7.60% that we know of.
Rates next year are set to increase even more, no $3.70m surplus, staff are all back and more, no money for 'nice-to-haves”. The new council will have a massive rate increase or massive cost cutting, either way it's going to hurt.
Where did all ratepayers' money go?

I Stevenson, Tauranga.