Cr Murray Guy's supposed efforts at reducing rates increases need tough questioning. First, was this the same Cr Guy who soon after being elected last time, took off to some motor race events in the South Island missing essential meetings planning for the city's future? Second, I haven't actually read any significant and specific rates cuts proposed by Cr Guy. Did he, for example, oppose the building of Baywave, which costs the ratepayer dearly every year? Has he tried to cut out all that art and sports stuff Councils seem to love?
His letter of 2 July also raises the subject of teams on Council. Cr Guy conveniently fails to mention the only team, his own Pick Six. I still have the leaflet proving it and listing his cronies.
To mention just a bit of the circus that followed. One Pick Six councillor went on a resource management course and failed the open book test at the end, um! Worse, Pick Six Cr Hayden Evans, on a salary exceeding $65,000 paid by the ratepayer, turned out to be in huge arrears on his own rates. Hope there wasn't any favourable treatment. Worse again, Cr Evans was convicted of drink driving – a real community first role model?
Interesting that on Sunlive 6 August 2009, Cr Murray Guy is quoted talking about Cr Evans 'passion for ensuring processes are integrity based.” Some team and not my idea of integrity either.
Thomas Brown, Tauranga.