Letters to the editor: Rates increases shouldn't bother Pāpāmoa residents

Pāpāmoa residents should be able to weather a small rates increase, suggests a reader. Photo / File

I really have trouble understanding the logic of Philip Brown from the Papamoa Residents and Ratepayers Association (Letters, May 12) and his supporters, who are calling for a zero rate increase.

A recent Bay of Plenty Times article estimated the proposed rates increase would amount to just $2.28 per week for a median-valued home of $650,000.

I'm sure that the capital gains enjoyed by Pāpāmoa residents over history would easily compensate for this rate increase.

Furthermore, I don't think $2.28 per week would worry too many residents judging by the queues at McDonald's and KFC when we went into level 3.

Tauranga desperately needs funds to grow and move ahead and I think it's time to consider the next generations.

Andrew Lattimore
Mount Maunganui

Projects missing from council list

I was disappointed on reading the Tauranga City Council's list of shovel-ready projects for the Government to fund, that it did not include the four-laning of 15th Ave and Turret Rd and the construction of a new four-lane bridge to connect Maungatapu and Welcome Bay with the city.

Surely after all these years of chaotic traffic and discussion of remedies, detailed plans of these works already exist.

Alan Dickson
Tauranga

Kiwi timber tried and true

I wholeheartedly agree with Alan Bickers (Letters, May 8) about using New Zealand timber as first choice for building.

It is environmentally practical insofar as it is grown and milled locally and is tried and true.

A point that many will miss is that treated timber will store its carbon for 40 years or more and in this time two more crops of trees will be harvested.

Dan Russell
Tauranga

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