Letters: Ratepayers footing council debt

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I wholeheartedly agree with the comments expressed by Paddi Hodgkiss in the paper (Letters, October 30), regarding Rotorua Lakes Council debt.

I did notice she made no mention of other unnecessary expenditure, like the Green Corridor and Te Manawa. I am also unaware of any extra flights coming into Rotorua, but regardless, I believe an expensive upgrade is planned for the airport which has little to do with upgrading areas for protection from future earthquakes.

As she so rightly says, the "geese that lay the golden eggs" otherwise known as ratepayers will end up footing the debt. This particular "goose" is rapidly running out of eggs. Perhaps we can hope that some forward thinking council financial officer is planning to spend money on accommodation for homeless ratepayers, we may all need that soon.

I'm not going to hold my breath!

MIKE LONG
Rotorua

Spending habits
I agree with Paddi Hodgkiss' letter about Rotorua Lakes Council's increased debt.

Adults are grown-up children. The council's approach to the increased debts could only be likened to children being let loose with their parents' credit card. We ratepayers are the parents, and the council the naughty disobedient children.

As much as we scold them for their idiotic actions, or try to educate them, to not spend beyond their parents' means, they continue to spend without consequence, expecting their parents (ratepayers) to pick up the tab.

The only way we could reprimand the spoilt children would be to either vote for change in the next election, or introduce a reward or penalty by performance remuneration system.

The council have continually made false promises to rein in their expenditure, when it is obvious they will never change their spending habits, or listen to reason from their parents (ratepayers).

The council need to be held accountable for their actions and if not able
to be disciplined - then expel them. There's a saying; "You will always get what you
have always got, if you always do what you have always done." Vote for change in the next election.

[ABRIDGED]
TRACEY McLEOD
Lake Tarawera