Letter of the Week: squeeze on dog fees

Being a law-abiding citizen, I recently went and paid my $70 dog registration fee to the Tauranga City Council. However what am I getting for my money?
I understood the need for registration in the days when farming was such a big part of the local economy and the threat of hydatids. The dog ranger used to come a couple of times a year and throw a pill in some meat at the dog. So what else do I get for my money? If my dog strays and gets picked up I pay $40 for the first time (The owner of a non-registered dog has to $50).
Is it only those who have paid a dog registration fee able to call the dog ranger?
Dog registration fees are a relic of years gone by. The council are now milking it for all that it's worth. There are a lot of irresponsible dog owners out there and there is a need for dog rangers to take care of stray, noisy and aggressive dogs. But why doesn't everyone have to pay?
What next? Are they going to ask everyone who owns a bicycle to register and pay $50 a year so that the police can chase down people who don't wear helmets?
(Abridged)
Mike Williams, Greerton