The factual content of a series of advertisements running in The Weekend Sun is being challenged by Tauranga City Council staff.
An anonymous advertiser called ‘Voter Empowerment' is using the advertisement headlines: ‘Tauranga City finances – out of control?' to criticise council decisions and policies during the current term.
Tauranga City Council staff are disputing the statements made by Voter Empowerment and have issued a response to each claim.
In The Weekend Sun issue of August 13 on page 33, Voter Empowerment advertised that Baypark lost $1.2 million in 2009 and has projected loss of $2.25 million in 2010. The council has stated that the draft 2010 Annual Report of Tauranga City Venues Limited shows the company made operational surplus (before tax) for the year to June 30, 2010 of $899,000 and to June 30, 2009, a loss of $588,000.
There is also discrepancy between the end date stated for the lease of the land at Baypark with Voter Empowerment saying the lease was due to end in 2019 but council states it as to end in 2022.
In the same advertisement, Voter Empowerment stated 65 per cent of the Tauranga community was against the redevelopment of the Hot Pools, but council staff say this is incorrect with submissions to the 2009/10 Ten Year Plan showing 89 per cent of the community in support of some form of development/ improvement and just 3.9 per cent opposed to upgrade.
The Voter Empowerment advertisement also stated council libraries cost $7.4 million per year to run but council staff say the rate revenue funding requirement for 2009 was $7 million and $5.8 million in 2010.
Tauranga City Council staff have also taken issue with the statements made by Voter Empowerment in an advertisement in The Weekend Sun issue for August 20 on page 51.
In this issue the advertisement stated Tauranga building consent fees are $20,000 as sourced from Statistics New Zealand and Councils, but Tauranga City Council staff dispute this saying their fees are $3500-4000.
In this same advertisement, Voter Empowerment states ‘Audit NZ did not accept Tauranga City Council's Ten Year Plan'
Council staff say this is incorrect, however, as the draft audit opinion is fully superseded by the final plan.
This advertisement also stated rates needed 15 per cent increases in each of the next two years to balance council books – adding another 32 per cent to rates. This is disputed by council staff who say, increased over the next two years are proposed to be 16.9 per cent and then 9.6 per cent (before growth) increases; the cumulative impact is 28 per cent and not 32 per cent.