Some of the mantras have a familiar ring.
Being "business-friendly" and creating jobs is a popular touchstone -- an easy soundbite to throw out, but a much harder thing to actually deliver.
Is the suggestion that our council has an agenda to oppose business and lose jobs?
Such a notion is scarcely credible.
Just how many businesses do these hopefuls expect to usher in should they earn a three-year term, and how many jobs are they going to create? And exactly how will they go about this?
Likewise, those who promise to minutely examine council expenditure and cut municipal spending along with our rates bills.
Long on slogans, short on detail; there is a naive ambition evident with some of those entering the campaign.
And there are those already at the council table who campaigned on pretty much those same platforms.
Nothing wrong with a dose of optimism, but somewhere it has to be anchored in reality.
Local government is a complex and exacting beast. And a costly one.
Those who think they can wave a magic wand need to think again.
They also need to make sure they have attended council meetings, acquainted themselves with the Local Government Act, read council reports fully and scrutinised a few agendas.
Prepare more, promise less ... that may be the way to make a worthy candidate.
