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:
Baypark secrecy to avoid hard questions
Re Council needs to be more upfront (Our View, June 15).
There is only one reason council remained secretive over the Baypark deal.
It was so no outsider could ask the hard questions of council staff (that recommended this move) on just how they intend to do it. Because they have absolutely no idea.
The idea that bureaucrats can run the speedway better is laughable.
This deal has "major disaster" written all over it.
Bureaucrats being bureaucrats will try to organise this facility on how it makes their job easier and not how the or what the public want and we'll end up with another Mount Hot Pools debacle as attendances will drop.
And just watch how many more people the administrators will try to employ so their salary packages increase.
This is just empire building and the ratepayer will have to cough up again, I guarantee it.
Chudleigh Haggett, Tauranga
Article a slur
I was disappointed that your recent article regarding the proposed crematorium behind Tauranga Park Funeral Chapel contained what may be regarded as a slur against Greg Brownless and against me (News, June 8).
We are the trustees of the Legacy Trust.
Our role is to distribute back to the community the profits earned by the Legacy Funeral business. Neither of us receives any payment for this, but we both derive a great deal of satisfaction.
We are not directly involved in the business, which is independently run by the directors of the Legacy Funeral Homes Limited.
The directors of the company decided to expand the services being offered by Legacy at Tauranga Park and have applied for the necessary resource consent.
Greg and I fully support their decision. If the resource consent is given then Legacy will be able to provide an even better service on a more economical basis.
If any additional profits are made, Greg and I will have much pleasure in distributing this back to where it serves our community best.
Bill Holland, Tauranga
Family unit sacred
We must uphold the sanctity of the family. As well as being the most economic unit, it is an important basis for our being. Living within a family builds identity and social connection. Bonding to caring adults forms consciences. The familial must not be replaced by communal care, like compulsory preschool and 24-hour childcare.
Megan Simmonds, Te Puke
Faulkner whinges
It's with no surprise to hear Bill Faulkner's whinge about the free parking on Saturday.
Helping the CBD is not a priority of his. Councillor Faulkner's audience is the retired people of the city, who also happen to have the majority of voters, promising to keep the rates down, will get you elected every time, promising progress won't.
Priority One must be pulling its hair out dealing with this lot.
They don't have an enterprising bone in their body. You can look after the aged and move forward at the same time. Rotorua and Taupo are perfect examples of councils that create events to stimulate their CBDs. We have an events manager. Let's use her.
Rugby World Cup is nearly upon us. What are we doing? Heaven help the CBD, this council won't.
John Harvey, Amphora On The Strand
Instructed lesson
I don't suppose anyone will listen to me regarding young drivers, but the answer is quite simple. Before any licence is issued, the driver should be put through a comprehensive driving lesson by a driving instructor. This is a must in the UK.
Why must New Zealand always be dragging her feet after other nations. Plenty of talk but no much do. Merchant Navy Day a prime example. Ten years after every other nation acknowledged September 3 as this, New Zealand belatedly decided to acknowledge it.
RB Wyld, Tauranga
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