How do I choose my next mayor?
A humble layperson's guide to evaluating the mayoral candidates:
If any of the candidates make a "promise" - eg, I will do this or that - If I am elected mayor - they are either ignorant or lying.
Why? A mayor has no more rights, power or votes than any other councillor (apart from one casting vote should the council be equally divided on an issue).
A mayor is not a manager or a CEO, they cannot hire, fire or enforce anything, on anyone, by themselves.
Many people think a mayor's position is a supreme "lord of all they survey"- that they can tell council what to do, not so!
Their main functions are to oversee governance, mediation and promotion, to engage and listen to the ratepayers and residents and to perform civic duties.
Our mayor is essentially the face of our city - I would like it to be a friendly face.
We also never want to elect a mayoral candidate that is trying to form a cartel that would possibly ignore the needs of individual wards to further their own agenda. That reeks of bullying and dictatorship.
Each decision must be made on behalf of the council members' own ward or in the city's best interest to take it forward.
Last, but by no means least, unless a mayoral candidate has done a stint as a councillor - no matter how brief - then they have absolutely no idea what they are: a) supposed to be doing or: b) letting themselves in for.
Rosie Dean
Whangarei
Councillor Brian McLachlan says in his pre-election statement that he initiated the referendum on the Hundertwasser Art Centre.
I heard him on National Radio just hours before the meeting to decide the project's fate stating he intended to vote in favour. However, he reneged and opted for the costly and divisive referendum. Had he cast his vote in favour the project would be being built now.
The referendum cost us $2.5 million from the Lotteries Commission among other large donations.
In 1993 the Whangarei Report asked councillors what they thought about the proposed Hundertwasser Art Gallery.
Phil Halse, long-term councillor, was in favour of a gallery and thought the Town Basin was a good place for one.
There is a photo taken in 2011 of Cr Halse and two other prominent people admiring the newly arrived model of the Hundertwasser Art Centre stating what an asset it would be to the city.
After the 2013 elections he seems to have had a change of heart and has led the charge against the HAC, stating his objection is that the correct process hadn't been followed. Other councillors who have consistently opposed the HAC are Sue Glen, Greg Martin and Shelley Deeming, Susy Bretherton, Trish Cutforth and Stuart Bell.
They may have done good work in their areas but it seems they are unable to see the bigger picture.
We want people with vision if Whangarei is to become a thriving, vibrant city people want to visit.
As Sir Michael Hill, Whangarei's most successful businessman stated, "tourists will flock to Whangarei to see this unique building with its amazing collections."
Ask the hard questions when you cast your vote!
(Abridged)
Mary Johnston
Ngunguru
Residents in the Far North pay up to $5000 in rates but get few services.