They have the power to take my home, or yours, if we do not obey, and sell it!
Government has given our council the power to sell our property to recover rates if we do not pay them. We, the ratepayers have no power to stop them if they are a legally elected council and they vote to spend our money on what they like.
Most people do not know this but it is true. All the debt of our Tauranga City is mortgaged on our properties. So why do we allow this situation to continue?
Some, 'well meaning people” are standing for council and are asking for us to give them this awesome power and some will do it.
Other nations, like Switzerland, have control over their councils by using The Direct Democracy System. The Swiss can stop any decisions by any Local, Regional or Central Government, at any time, if they decide to. I believe it is time for us to have this system in New Zealand.
At a public meeting in Tauranga, during this parliamentary term, I asked The Minister for Local Government if he was going to give us Direct Democracy. Rodney Hide replied that he would institute it. We are still waiting. I will no longer vote for our system until we have the power to protect ourselves from the Council.
Ken Evans, Tauranga.