Letters to the editor: Higher commercial rates please, rubbish shemozzle

Warwick Armstrong says Tauranga could take a leaf out of the Whakatane District Council's book to do with rubbish collecting. Photo/ File

If Tauranga ratepayers end up paying an average of $3350 to the city and regional councils this year, this would cause serious problems as people would not be able to pay it.

The council should do as other councils do and increase rates for businesses so that they pay more and residents less. If residents have a $400 rates increase, this will have an effect on business owners, people would reduce the amount of money they spend in shops and businesses.

Thousands of new residents and visitor have spent money in Tauranga and business owners have benefited from it. It is only fair that the council now uses a fairer redistribution of rates. Many workers are still on low wages and 30 per cent of residents are over 60, many on fixed incomes. Tauranga residents should agree to a proposed change in the rating system and commercial ratepayers pay more.

Hilary R Burrows
Papamoa Beach

Rubbish collection

I left Tauranga in 2000 and ended up living in Ohope Beach. Whakatane District Council has rubbish collecting just right, three wheelie bins, a 120l for rubbish, another big one for green waste, and one for recycling, then you get a crate that you put all glass in. No waste, no dogs pulling plastic bags apart for the seagulls come after.

In the long run, it would be a lot cheaper than the total shemozzle we seem to have now. Try living over the road from 10 flats.

Warwick Armstrong,
Tauranga