Support TECT proposal

Since the TECT proposal announcement, I have watched the letters and social media debate with interest.

To those who are saying it's a conspiracy theory and that there's something in it that's not being disclosed, I think they are completely misguided. In my view, the TECT offer is a win/win/win and I commend the trustees for their diligence and care in researching and initiating the conversation.

Here's how we all win:
1. We get a cheque for $2500 in September (imagine what that can be used for) and if we stay with Trustpower, we get another cheque in November for $360, plus more end-of-year TECT cheques for another four years. That's nearly $3000 before the end of the year.
2. With market conditions prevailing, I am sure that Trustpower will make it worth our while to stay with it, and many of us will want to support a corporate with a head office in Tauranga.
3. The community will get more resources to make Tauranga the best possible version of itself – better resources for schools, groups, churches, communities. I was at the international cricket at Bay Oval on Sunday night and I felt so proud to be from here – and to see 7500 other people enjoying it all too, never mind the television audience. It would not have been possible without TECT, nor Baywave, nor the TECT All Terrain Park, The Elms Heritage Gardens, and on it goes.

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When you're given a "win/win/win" offer it's tempting for cynicism to cloud your judgment. But a $2500+ windfall, an opportunity to get cheaper power, and more funds for an even better city – what's not to love?
(Abridged)
Michelle Whitmore
Tauranga
Traffic woes
I have read numerous articles on Tauranga's traffic woes and none of them has ever mentioned the fact that Simon Bridges was the Minister of Transport from 2014-2017.

During his tenure traffic congestion became a huge issue and his lack of foresight hurt his hometown big time. and he did very little, in my view, for our area. I am a die-hard National Party guy but I did not vote for Simon last election because he doesn't keep a good eye on his home turf, in my view.

On a local level, Mark Wassung has some great ideas, he is proactive and I will vote for him again because we could use him as a councillor to push some alternative modes of transport in this growing city. (Abridged)
Paul Belcaster
Tauranga
GST on food - an easy fix
The letter from Don Brash (Letters, February 10), ex-governor of the Reserve Bank, ex-leader of the National Party and ex-leader of the Act Party, amazed me.
In my view, he's an old-fashioned economist who thinks in terms of double entry booking keeping ledgers.
The UK and Australia have both been doing it for years, perhaps we are not smart enough?
From a practical point of view, all that needs doing is a flag in the 13 digit barcodes used commonly for food and let the software take care of whether an item attracts tax or not.
The initial classification of goods would require some thought but this has already been done by other countries and is not copyrighted.
Pete Dolden
Papamoa
Cartoon not funny
It was not funny, in fact absolutely insulting to see Hubbard's cartoon (Opinion, February 1), where he jokes about the fact that Paula Bennett has had a stomach operation, as do many people these days. Why is she singled out and then to have a so-called further recommendation that she is sacked by the National Party.

What an appalling thing to design a cartoon whatever one's political persuasion might be, about a capable woman who has leadership potential, and who has come from a background where she knows what it is like to be a single mum on a very limited income. Anyone could admire her background, she got herself educated, and worked, and then into government and became a minister of the Crown.

It's not good enough, in my view, for a cartoonist to produce such rubbish about a woman.

Margaret Murray-Benge
Bethlehem