Bay of Plenty letters: Ratepayers can't be expected to pay business owners

The article about a Bayfair overbridge (News, September 5) quoted Bayfair Underpass Alliance chairman Phillip Brown as saying a proposed overbridge was preposterous.

"It will be too steep for the elderly, it will be too high, too windy and too wet".

How Brown knows those things when a bridge design is not yet available is unknown, but if he is so concerned about his stated problems I invite him to publish his drawbacks of the four existing pedestrian/cyclist overpasses in Tauranga - Takitimu Drive near Tauriko, State Highway 36 near The Crossing, SH 29 at Barkes Corner and near the Poike Road junction.

P. Harlen
Bayfair

Business is a risk

Our city councillors have been requested to provide ratepayer funds to subsidise CBD promotional activities. The CBD business owners argue they require assistance to survive.

Any business attracted to the CBD is taken (using ratepayers funds) from other business centres in our community.

Why not subsidise Greerton or Mount Maunganui when they have a bad day?

Business is a risk. Ratepayers cannot be expected to pay business owners for not shopping with them and certainly, rates paid by competing businesses in the district should not be applied to an ailing CBD.

Maurice O'Reilly
Tauranga