Tauranga City Finances out of control?
The cases of unbelievable and scary mismanagement of finances by Tauranga City Councillors surely finds its ultimate in the Mount Green's debacle. If it is good enough to spend $13 million on bowling and croquet players, how about tennis, golf, bridge and Petanque players, bird watchers, kite flyers and a few others who might like to share in this lolly scramble. What an appalling abuse of power by those Councillors!
The response to the ads of the last few weeks in your paper, which surely was sponsored by Tauranga City Councillors, in essence support the outcry of the wrongs which those ads bring to the attention of the voters at the next election. Their figures are barely different from the ones reported in those ads. Their statement that their building consent fees are only $3 500 to $4,000 must be news to the people that have been charged somewhere between $15,000 and $25,000. They may consider asking for a refund!
Councillor Mike Baker shows how little he understands the facts. He should know that cities like Hamilton and Manukau grow at a similar or faster pace than Tauranga and their building consent fees are a fraction of the Tauranga charges. Are you trying to say that SIF's and building consent fees are intended to discourage people to come and live in Tauranga? Judging by the latest growth figures that seems to work, although I am sure the business community will not be happy with that.
Willem Jonkers, Tauranga.