The Bay of Plenty Times welcomes letters and comments from readers. Below you can read the letters we have published in your newspaper today.
TODAY'S LETTERS
No place for secret council meetings
I am becoming increasingly concerned with what appears to be a Tauranga City Council penchant for confidential (secret) meetings.
Regarding the Rugby World Cup, local input about it has been held behind closed doors, no doubt sorting out how much money TCC is going to throw at it.
New Zealand-wide, the RWC is projected to lose $500 million.
Then Mark Scapens has councillors' ears on Coronation Pier. The lack of any details about what the actual arrangements are and how much money has been spent leaves plenty to be desired.
Also, Bob Clarkson's representations regarding his Tauriko land and plea for industrial rezoning could almost fall into that category because the public have no idea what TCC is doing behind the scenes with Western Bay District Council over land rezoning.
We also, of course, then have the Tauranga City Aquatics and TCC talkfest, which was held behind closed doors, regarding the Mount hot pools debacle and the Groundhog Day appeal lodged against the Commissioner's decision.
This secret squirrel stuff as a general rule has no place in a democratic society and the continual TCC claims of commercial sensitivity, business know-how or "can't work it out" are patently ridiculous excuses for non-transparency and non-accountability.
Heaven knows what else goes on that we know absolutely nothing about.
Tauranga residents deserve and must demand open local government, not a secret society.
(Abridged.)
R. Paterson, Matapihi
Muzzle mutts
Dog bites are worrisome. If the council had any feelings on the matter, or members had children who had been bitten or even worse, they would bring in a bylaw making it mandatory for dogs to have a muzzle, thus being the leaders in innovative rulings concerning the ever-present dog dangers.
Life would be so much easier for all concerned.
It can't sit well to have so many dog bites in the council's, sorry, our city.
They wouldn't have to deal with all the reports of dog bites that the council is advocating, nay, urging us to do. As if this would solve the problem of dog biting. Huh!
Secondly, dog owners: they wouldn't have to worry about having their doggy being put down for biting a teasing child who inadvertently hurt the dog, and that poor dog was just defending itself in the only way it knows how.
Unless there is a muzzle on their dog, dog owners are not responsible owners.
Thirdly, the dog: do you owners think about your poor dog? Always straining at the leash. Not to annoy you but because it wants to do what dogs want to do.
With a muzzle it could run free - and it could have a ball! Chasing anything and smelling everything, without fear of being put down.
And if all owners are like the owners of the poodle that did a "mess" on a public walkway at Bethlehem, they needn't worry about running after the dog with a "doggy poo" bag - because they don't, anyhow.
A dog is just wanting to be a dog so, therefore, it is the dog owners who are at fault.
And as it has been said, "the bottom line is the safety of people outranking the rights of dogs".
Personally, I feel that if muzzles are used the rights of people and dogs could be respected.
So come on, dog owners, smarten up your act and beat the council to it.
Put a muzzle on your dog.
They are totally harmless, non-intrusive in the dog's enjoyment of life and just could save the life of a child, or a councillor.
R. Smith, Tauranga
Councillor pay
I have been questioned a few times as to why councillors have had a rise in pay.
Well, I just want to make things hopefully a little clearer.
The Government Remuneration Authority determines the remuneration packages to all local bodies, and no local body plays any part in determining the amount they receive.
We don't call the shots.
This is then divided between the councillors.
This term the remuneration was an increase of 0.8 per cent. Why? But the Remuneration Authority has governed that all travel expenses will have a threshold on them.
In other words, no claims by any councillor, less than 30km per day.
This equates to reduction of at least about 2 to 3 per cent.
It's just like normal government decisions - give a little and take a bit more.
In the long run it is a little better, not worse, for the ratepayers.
Cr Bill Grainger, Tauranga
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