Letters: Robbing from Peter to pay Paul

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I was aghast to read that average rates are set to rise by 3.8 per cent, the urban contribution being 4.1per cent. This is a far cry from the 2.6 per cent we were expecting.

Part of this is to cover the losses from the museum closure so why hasn't the (up to) $4 millon for a new skate park and the $150,000 for the massive roundabout sculpture been diverted towards repairing the revenue-earning museum?

I'd like to see necessity over vanity for a change. The coat must fit the cloth, and we only have cloth off-cuts.

We are also told the rise is to cover $3.5 million additional borrowing which, among other things, financial officer Thomas Colle states is "required to fund growth and reduce debt".

Ho hum, robbing from Peter to pay Paul, rather like using one credit card to pay off another, but the debt remains, still accruing interest.

Ominously too, in none of the council press releases has the cost of the new sewage scheme, which must be operational by 2019, been mentioned.

To top this off we are told that the mayor is having a ratepayer-funded trip to China.

Sure we're told the travel is only $5000 (no mention of a daily allowance) but I'm equally sure many ratepayers would respect our mayor more if she cancelled this foray citing cost, given we are seriously in debt which is growing before our eyes and pockets.

PADDI HODGKISS
Rotorua

A junket it is

I read in the Rotorua Daily Post today (March 30) that Councillor Karen Hunt said calling the trip to China a junket was "naïve and patronising".

I refer her to the Collins English Dictionary where it says, and I quote, "junket. an excursion made by a public official and paid for out of public funds".

MIKE LONG
Rotorua

Forestry is cursed

Responding to Dave Field's letter (March 28), I respect Dave but I see forestry as a cursed industry.

I started my forestry career as NZ Forest Service labourer and then ranger.

I later gained a forestry degree from Canterbury and worked as technical forester for Forestry Corp. NZ, Fletcher Challenge Forests and Kaingaroa Timberlands.

I represented those companies on major research co-operatives and did most of the economic regime analysis to determine the best way to grow Kaingaroa Forest.

In my view, New Zealand forestry used to be world leader but has been gutted by neoliberal ideology since Rogernomics. The resource has been sold off, fragmented and locked up.

I see our forests have been stripped to benefit short-term shareholders and investors; the workforce has been killed and abused; rural communities are now crime-ridden slums; there has been massive underinvestment in research and processing.

The story of New Zealand forestry today is indicated by the article in the Rotorua Daily Post on March 22. It says the sector is worth $1.4 billion GDP but the multiple-use benefits "could" be worth $9.6 billion.

I believe as long as GDP is the actual measure of worth, New Zealand forestry will remain cursed!

BOB BOARDMAN
Ngongotaha

Remove restrictions

The Rotary Charity Market at Kuirau Park every Saturday morning has become an important weekly event for many people in our city, and raises thousands of dollars each year, which is given back into the community.

It has developed over quite a few years, and has now become a special place where people can meet with family and friends, survey the stalls offering a wide variety of food, bric-a-brac, massages, clothing, coffee and more.

This market has operated on this site for some years without incident. In the last couple of months the Rotorua Lakes Council have found It necessary to place "yellow dotted lines" in areas that were valued parking places.

But not only that, they now send a parking warden down to enforce these dotted yellow lines.

Customers at the market are not warned, they are provided with Infringement notices which are valued at $80.

My worry is the effect it has on the attendance of customers to the market, will it have an impact on its success?

Yes, there have been issues of congestion prior to this happening, but there has never been an issue of safety, as the traffic moved so slowly.

I think these restrictions being enforced by RLC should be removed.

Is there something else the RLC has in mind for this area, and now don't want this vibrant market there? Is there anyone one out there who feels the same as I do? It would be great to hear other opinions.

PM LONGHURST
Rotorua