OPINION
As a city councillor since 2013 and someone who runs a business, the concept of balancing the books is not new to me. The definition of balancing the books is the amount of revenue received equals the expenses.
If the council is going to do well there are many factors to consider. It needs positive impacts to make economic and social wellbeing go together. For example, Festival of Cultures, New Zealand Rural Games, Central Districts Field Days, stockcars, motorsports at Manfeild, major secondary school events like volleyball champs held last week, UCOL Te Pūkenga and Massey University graduations and Hurricanes games.
They all assist the economic growth of the city in retail, hospitality and accommodation by attracting many people from across the lower North Island. This we cannot take for granted – people inside and outside of the council continue to work on these partnerships to make these things happen.
To balance the books for the council in the long-term plan we must look at the rates rise. The idea of an 11.7 per cent rates rise for 2024-25 scares people. The total cost of the wastewater treatment project over the next 10 years will be more than $647 million.
