I have sympathy for your correspondents complaining about the doubling of Rates and the future hefty increases to come.
Each time Elections come around, voters want to throw out the councillors. However, we are only changing the flies around an increasing pile of horse manure at City Hall.
The real problem surely lies within City Hall itself. Councillors seem to have no influence on Staff numbers, wages and salaries, or hiring and firing. Regardless, the Ratepayers foot the bill.
After the elections, I believe that the City Managers go into ‘Schooling the Councillors mode'. Senior Staff prefer weak Candidates and promises go out the window while it is business as usual at the office. Senior Council Staff are living in an ivory tower, shielded from both the Ratepayers and Councillors, Staff numbers and spending keep increasing. Excessive use of expensive consultants, who advise Rolls Royce designs to keep their own income high, seem to be the norm. When is this going to change?
I suggest to you, that the time is fast approaching when the ratepayers will revolt and refuse to pay.
This has happened overseas and in Auckland a few years ago with the Regional Council Rates. You can only push the people so far.
A competent organiser and support from the People, would be the catalyst.
Mike Giles, Tauranga.