Editorial: Please be more careful with our rates money

The Rotorua Lakes Council should never have spent $1.6 million on Mudtopia. Photo / File

I didn't go to Mudtopia last year but I hear it was awesome.

The entertainment line-up was superb and sliding around on the slippery mud would bring out the kid in anyone. Such fun.

But of course Mudtopia was awesome. The event cost $1.6 million to run.

I didn't accept one of three offers of free tickets to go because that weekend I was busy working. Working hard to earn money to pay bills. Bills such as rates.

So when detailed figures are revealed of what was spent on the event that not many people went to, let alone paid to go to, yes as a ratepayer I am pretty annoyed.

The festival directors were paid just under $400,000 and new figures revealed they were also paid a further $75,000 for "expenses".

There was a social media and advertising bill of $46,000, $15,000 spent on wooing a South Korean delegation and $2500 on wet wipes.

A few thousand was spent on travel, expenses and board fees for a group of people whose job it was to decide if Mudtopia was a good idea.

As we save for our next lot of rates bills (due August 20 folks) most of us are looking at increases.

It's a fair guess that many ratepayers in this city struggle. They are carefully budgeting what comes in, choosing to spend this much on petrol this week, and that much on household necessities next week.

Kids might only be allowed to play one sport, if any, meat every day of the week is substituted for cheaper vegetarian options and luxuries like going to events (ironically like Mudtopia) are out of the question.

I'm asking our council, please be more careful with our money.

I am no "negative Nelly". I love some of the exciting projects this council has got behind and completed over recent years. It's got courage to make change and make a mark.

But forgive me if I squeeze my eftpos card a little tighter in reluctance when I hand it over at the rates counter on August 20.