Letters: Taxpayers paying for Rotorua spending spree

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I read (Rotorua Daily Post, July 27) that the council spent $90,000 buying mud in South Korea. Unbelievable.

Right away the council's Smoke and Mirror Department got in full swing telling us that this was not "council spending".

Councillor Maxwell jumped to the defence saying that this came from a government grant. In other words, we are not paying as ratepayers but as taxpayers.

I never expected to see the day that taxpayers would help Rotorua ratepayers to pay for this council's continuing spending spree.

And now Mrs Chadwick tells us that she expects us to sell mud back to South Korea. She must be dreaming, they are not that silly.

HARRY BRASSER
Rotorua

Can I suggest that Paddi Hodgkiss checks her facts before committing herself to print? (Letters, July 27). If she had, she would know that the $14.20 targeted rate was not for museum repair. It was to offset the large loss of revenue resulting from the museum closure, enabling museum staff and off-site museum activities to be maintained in the interim.
Also, she would know that, after considering public submissions to the Annual Plan, the council decided that to fund the shortfall, it will increase the Uniform Annual General Charge (UAGC) by $14.20, in place of the proposed targeted museum rate.

KEITH GARRATT
Rotorua

By far the worst red light runners are pedestrians at the top end of Tutanekai St.

Light changers for pedestrians take a long time often. People cross on red lights often. A fortune would be collected by police for tickets issued there.

Adults set a bad example. Last Saturday I saw a group of seven or so children up to 12 or 13 years unaccompanied dash across as a double flow of traffic advanced at 50km/h from Farmers end and blasted their horns at the children running the red light. Horrifying.

ALAN LORD
Rotorua