Readers discuss a proposed rate increase and the stench surrounding Wanganui in today's letters to the editor.
Vote carefully
In his/her reference to the proposed 6 per cent rate increase, JMJ Morrison (letters, March 4) expresses the sentiment that he/she "would like to see all of us ratepayers hold our rates until we have someone to manage our money in a proper way".
Good budget planning/management in local body government will never happen as long as any Tom, Dick, or Harry (or female of the species!) can put their name forward for election. It is extremely unlikely that any, or most, local body councillors would have any chance of securing employment at a senior level where there was a responsibility for managing a multi-million-dollar budget, yet we continue to elect them, to our financial peril as ratepayers.
Certainly, in order to attract high-calibre, financial managers of our rates money, there is probably a need to undertake a serious review of remuneration rates for local body councillors. Whilst the current rates would be far too low to attract experienced, competent financial managers/planners, they are too high for many of New Zealand's local body councillors, given their lack of relevant experience and ability. Such incompetents cost us ratepayers dearly!
I would urge all citizens to do careful research into the background experience of all candidates, particularly from a financial management point of view. We all have the opportunity to do this exercise before electing any of them later this year.
VIPI GREGORY-MEREDITH, Wanganui
Rates debate
John Maslin has done us a service by opening up the debate on this year's rates increase (Chronicle, March 2). You can encourage this to continue in your opinion pages.
My first thoughts are the following - the solution must come out of our debate:
If the wages of council staff are frozen, this will create job losses elsewhere in Whanganui, as $450,000 (the overall projected wage increase for 2013-14) is taken out of the local economy; councillors could consider donating part of their income if they wish, but they should not vote to reduce the wages of council staff;
The rates we pay make up 60 per cent of the WDC's income. As a general principle, the council should seek to maximise its income from other sources, before putting up rates, while taking into account the level of fees for services from those less able to afford them.
The council, in setting a rate, must fully consider those on fixed incomes.
Debt servicing makes up 10 per cent of the council's annual costs. This is why the size of the debt and the lack of control over past debt generation is a fundamental issue - still to be properly addressed. Michael Laws, in opposing a 6 per cent increase today is a hypocrite. He never once practised a real cost plus increase as he piled on the debt - just deferring costs to the present.
Our city faces challenges, just as other provincial cities in NZ do. Ultimately it will be the energy with which we commit ourselves to solving these that determines the result, together with the co-operative partnerships we form to do so. This city has a lot of energy, as we have seen over the summer. The council needs to make itself more open to this energy.
DAVE FEICKERT Whanganui
Stench discount
Regarding the proposed rate rise of 6 per cent that featured on the front page of the Wanganui Chronicle, I think the council should be granting every Wanganui ratepayer a reduction of at least 6 per cent for having to endure the horrendous stench that hovers over our city.
It is just not good enough that nobody seems to be accountable for a wastewater system that simply does not work. Somebody must have given it the green light - an expert on the subject, I assume.
Why should Wanganui ratepayers, who are already paying some of the highest rates in the country, pick up the tab?JACKIE PRIESTWanganui
Intelligence testIt is a shame that we have an expected rate increase of 6 per cent to look forward to. Why? Is this a test of ratepayers' intelligence?
I, for one, will not pay any further increase until we get some results on the stink we live with on a daily basis.
It is about time this issue was sorted out, and not, by getting all the so-called experts, who cost thousands, to voice options only. If they were fixing the problem that would be a different story... dreams are free!
Until we get this problem sorted, businesses are suffering, and visitors will not come.
I have personal experience of this also, as did Linda Speck (letters, March 4). It is so embarrassing to have to explain what the stink is!
Our council has no right to expect ratepayers to continue to pour more money into a system that fails so badly.
Horizons, I notice, has been very quiet on the subject lately as well, so has no doubt run out of ideas to help.
Building retainer walls is more their style, so we can pay more too. Chance would be a fine thing.
Freeze the council pays, freeze the rates, fix the problem .
Then we may all be able to breathe in our fair city, without breathing in the chemicals and foul air, which makes one ill.
Local body elections should be ratepayers vote only! Then we may get an accountable council.
Had enough of paying for bad budgeting and mistakes which continue to cost us so much, both in money and health.
J MOTU Gonville
Industry's share
The Mayor's statement in Wednesday's Chronicle begins to shed some light on the ongoing problems with our wastewater treatment plant. It appears that the industries are not as innocent as last Saturday's infomercial would have us believe.
Cardno BDO at the Infrastructure meeting estimated that the wastewater treatment plant was having to cope with the waste from some 300,000 people. Given that there are only around 39,000 people living in Wanganui there is a huge amount of industrial waste going into the treatment plant - some 260,000 people's worth or approximately 88 per cent of the waste.
What I would like to know is, given the industries are producing 88 per cent of the waste, are they paying 88 per cent of the costs, or are the ratepayers subsiding their industries and shareholders? Are our council and the chairman of the finance committee brave enough to put these figures in the paper rather than what I see as spin pieces?
If those creating the waste pay their way, the other ratepayers will have the burden lifted off their shoulders. We will also see the waste being turned into other saleable products to reduce industrial cost - a win-win situation for us all.
TERRY O'CONNOR
Wanganui
Celtic culture
In reply to Potonga Neilson's letter (March 1); he mentions his culture.
When Maori first arrived here they never had a culture. The culture that Maori say is theirs is ancient Celtic culture which they took off the Celts.
When Maori arrived, some settled here among these ancient people. From those people the Maori obtained the knowledge on how to work the greenstone in addition to learning other useful arts in which the ancient people were further advanced than the Maori.
When the Maori had learned all they could from these people, they started to massacre them.
A lot of them escaped, so don't tell me it's your culture.
Potonga also mentioned you never wanted or needed special treatment.
If Maori hadn't supported the Labour Government under Geoffrey Palmer, putting in place a false document that is used to remove all non-Maori out of the treaty, then we all would have the same rights guaranteed us under the Tiriti o Waitangi.
IAN BROUGHAM Wanganui
Waikato couple built luxury A-frame in National Park.