I am shocked and saddened to read in your paper about the financial strife the elected Councillors have got our beautiful city into. Some have been there far too long. When you listen to Mayor Crosby in public meetings or read Faulkner regular stories, you would think that all is well in hand.
The reality is totally different. We have a burgeoning debt load, of $130 million plus, costing millions in interest and sucking up a quarter of the rates we ratepayers fork out. The debt doubled from $171 million to $310 million, and that figure is most probably outdated, with even higher debts now.
I looked through my rates statements of the last few years and noted in alarm, that since 2004 my rates have more than doubled as well. Inflation went up maybe 10 or 15% in that time. If it is true, that by 2016 we can look at another more than doubling of the rates, I would have to suffer rates close to $5000 per year.
The Mayor and most other Councillors promised affordable rates at the last election. Another broken promise. Rates are no longer affordable, particularly not for the retirees and other people on fixed incomes. Salaries and wages do not increase at such exorbitant rates. At the next election we will have to rid ourselves of these big spenders: Crosby's A Team, Stuart Crosby, David Stewart, Bill Faulkner, Rick Curach, Mike Baker and Wayne Moultrie.
Willem Jonkers, Tauranga.