Re: Tauranga City councillor John Robson's reply to Y James' letter regarding fiscal liability.

The councillor implies the ultimate responsibility for substandard utilities, lies with the ratepayer, the electoral roll (the voter), includes a lot more people than just those who proved council funding.

Ownership of the stormwater/sewage pipeline issues, is council's alone, you can draw your own conclusions as to which council entities failed the ratepayer.

The last option is a rates increase, placing more financial burden on the ratepayer base (rate increases continue to average 10 per cent per annum).

Listed below are some options to fund the above:

Get funding from Bay of Plenty Regional Council via Port of Tauranga dividends, Tauranga ratepayers' contributions to the regional council make up the bulk of the funding to clean up the Rotorua Lakes.

It was Tauranga/Mount Maunganui ratepayers, who were legally obliged to meet any financial shortfalls incurred when the Port was established in the 1950s.

Admit to central government that council has failed with provision of adequate storm water/sewage pipe work sizing to some areas of Tauranga, and request the 15 per cent GST added to rates be withheld/remitted.

This would provide the funding shortfall. Review council funding for the art centre, Baywave, Baypark, museum, etc.

This would release millions. Employ a council lawyer.

This would save millions. Utilise council staff instead of employing ‘consultants', to save more millions.

Targeted rating to the affected areas (unfair as they did not create the problem). Once rectified it will see these properties increase in value. Take out a loan.

There'll be other options I've missed, but its up to to councillors to now reconsider their funding options.

P Stanley, Mount Maunganui.