Our Rates Are Too High

I am standing for Mayor, and for Papamoa ward. I live on the edge of Arataki ward, but I have lived in ‘Papamoa’ for the last 20 years and ‘Papamoa’ is where I belong.

I love living in Tauranga. It is my home. I have also lived and worked in various places overseas and in my opinion Tauranga is one of the best places in the world to live, work, raise a family and retire. And of course the jewel in the crown is the Mount Maunganui, Arataki, Papamoa coastal strip.

But Tauranga has problems. Tauranga council has the lowest approval rating of any council in New Zealand ( see Scoop and The Post). We have the highest rates of any city in New Zealand (Ratepayers Report). Total average rates (city, regional and water) are estimated to be over $12,000 by 2034. Tauranga is the fifth most unaffordable city in the world for housing (New Zealand Herald). Tauranga is predicted to have the highest debt per capita for any city in New Zealand. For most residents this is a major problem. Tauranga is becoming a city which is unaffordable for most residents (SunLive Cost Of Living – People Are Drowning In Debt).

I am standing for council because I want to do something about that. I want to get to the bottom of the problem and fix it. Most councils in New Zealand are having similar problems and probably for the same reasons. Tauranga can not continue the way things are. It is unaffordable.

We need to start spending sensibly. We need to restructure council to make it more cost effective. We need to reduce waste and unnecessary spending. We need to get rid of the back room deals between council, the developers and big business. The developers and big business have owned the council for decades. For this election the Urban Task Force, which is a developer and big business lobby group, is fielding candidates for Mayor (Mahe Drysdale), and for the nine Ward Councillors. If they are elected we will get more of the same, big spending, big debt, and massive rate increases.

Please elect a good team for council. More of the same will be a disaster for ordinary Tauranga ratepayers.

What I would like to do if elected (Goals). Why should you vote for me (Why Me)? A bit more about me (About). My very dedicated campaign team (Team).