Re Harry Brasser's letter (December 28), which called for Crankworx's losses of $133,000 to be repaid to ratepayers and William Guy's letter (December 31) in response.
The council's claims about the economic multipliers of Crankworx come from two local reports they commissioned. The data were self-reported opinions. The findings were cautious and helpfully provisional estimates, not audited outcomes. Not the simplistic conclusions issued by spin doctors. Mr Guy should look for more types of data, more direct data sources and triangulated findings.
Mr Guy repeats the council's claims on economic development derived from the Infometrix reports. They are not independent and focus on Rotorua's tourist sector which creates about 10 per cent of our GDP. Corporate welfare for a 10-day event without repayment guaranteed is not a sophisticated economic development policy in my view.
Does the mayor have a mandate for corporate welfare? Her popular vote recently fell by 23 per cent to 41 per cent of all votes cast. In my opinion, ratepayers want better core service provisions, rates held to the cost of living, retiring council debt before interest rates rise, and for corporate hand-outs to stop.
[Abridged]
REYNOLD MACPHERSON
Rotorua
