Letters to the editor: Rates increases will hit many Tauranga locals hard

The nice-to-haves will hit some Tauranga ratepayers hard. Photo/file

What on earth is Tauranga City Council trying to do to the people of this city, bankrupt us all? There will be many, many people on low incomes who will be rated out of their homes, whether they are homeowners or renting as they will just not have the finances to meet the demands from the council.

And why?

Because of all the nice-to-haves that this council is foisting on us. And it has the cheek to congratulate the staff for reducing the rates for next year from 20 per cent to 9.7 per cent, followed by 8.1 per cent and 9.6 per cent the following two years, compounding, don't forget.

What about the superannuitants who are on fixed incomes, especially the ones who have been widowed and only have one pension coming in. Not to mention the single mums and dads who likewise have only one income plus a growing family. Do these people in their ivory towers on big overblown salaries not care?

Of course they don't. They have no idea how real people live. Anyone want to volunteer to organise a rates revolt?
Gary and Sylvia Winterburn Hairini

Visitor centre on Mauao unnecessary

A museum at Cliff Rd will at least satisfy a cultural basis for iwi/hapu. There is also an information centre being built either at Coronation Park or (rightfully) at the old information centre. These also will give an opportunity for Maori input.

There should be no need then for Maori to require the building of a visitor centre anywhere on Mauao.

It first and foremost is classified as an historic reserve and establishing a visitor centre there would be unacceptable under the Reserves Act, and would not be in keeping with the plan of leaving Mauao as natural as possible. Ministerial consent is required for any building on a Crown reserve – such building then only to be necessary for the proper and beneficial management protection and maintenance of the reserve. A visitor centre does not qualify.

Section 58 Reserves Act 1977 notes the minister shall not give their consent to buildings unless they are satisfied that buildings are necessary and cannot readily be provided outside and in close proximity to the reserve.

An information centre is to be built a short distance away which will provide ample opportunity for the provision of cultural and historical information of the area together with a museum at Tauranga.
RE Stephens Mount Maunganui