I just have to remind you that I told you so. MP Sabin and the National government media machine duped you all with the pre-election promise of 90 per cent to come out of the government roading coffers to repair the local road storm damage. Yeah right! Ican see the Tui brewery's marketing team working with this!
Pre-election, Focus NZ had it correct. Their collective experience at local government level, particularly time spent on the Regional Transport Committee, had them suggesting Northland and the Far North would get a fraction of the promised amount. I specifically said the Far North was more likely to get $4million to $5million but hoped for more, as the government roading budget had been set years before and the existing and future budgets are being poured into Roads of National Significance (RONS).
MP Sabin is now crying foul and expressing disappointment, but he has no excuses for his ignorance of not knowing how the budget works, and worse, showed complete disregard for the advice given to him by those that did know.
As far as where to from here, well all you ratepayer land owners in the productive sector, get out your chequebooks, as I predict in the Far North (ex National MP) Mayor Carter will drive through a targeted rate to fund the repair bill.
I don't like the maths here; over $30 million divided by the productive sector land owners (less than 5000)...... That's going to wreck your budget on top of poor payouts for forestry and dairy. Perhaps they'll load the beef farmers with a greater share while the beef payout is at a 40-year high. If that happens the other councils will follow.
If you don't understand the financial burden of excessive rates, talk to a farmer on the Hikurangi Swamp.
If you want to be heard, get hold of your local MP and district/regional councillors and insist the promises made be kept. I don't like your chances, but I look forward to the government media machine's response to placate the upset caused to the productive sector engine that drives our regional and national economy.
