Letters to the editor: From golden mile to MSD mile

Fenton St, Rotorua. Photo / File

Why is the Government so intent on transitioning the golden mile or the motel mile - which was once a picturesque treelined main entrance into the city - into MSD mile?

Does it want to ruin Rotorua's economy by making sure it never regains its international tourism reputation?

How many motels on Fenton St are actually regular accommodation now? Are they the minority now?

With the increased crime in the area, will the motels now struggle to survive, or be forced to join the homeless housing ranks?

Rotorua's future is in Rotorua Lakes Council's hands as it approves or declines the resource consent application from the Government to run the Wylie Court Motel as transitional housing.

The Government has also bought Boulevard Motel for this purpose.

It is no use committing millions of ratepayer dollars to grandiose projects to attract tourists if the council approves projects which will only work in opposition to its objectives and the District Plan.

They say opposites attract, but in this case, doing the opposite will definitely detract.

Tracey McLeod
Lake Tarawera

Something has to change

The Rotorua Daily Post reports rates arrears have increased from $2.3 million in 2018 to $4.6m by June 2021.

We face large rates increases this year so probably can expect a deficit of at least $6m by June 2022.

Incomes have not gone up enough to cover the rates increases. Abatement schemes offered by Rotorua Lakes Council are limited and along with the increased rates arrears, mean rates demands must increase.

People generally want to pay their way but are facing harmful financial and personal stress from sky-high rates demands. The council must immediately find ways to rationalise council operational costs and expenditure.

Further, the council and Local Government NZ should lobby central government to access tax revenue, or they should perhaps surrender responsibility for more core services to central government control.

How effective and efficient is New Zealand's duplicated local government system really? That question needs to be asked by the voters and central government.

Something has to change. It is simply inhumane to keep pushing people to the wall with rates increases when there is clear evidence households can't afford them.

Mark Oliver
Mourea

Whopping

An average 9.1 per cent increase this year for our rates was quoted.

I wish my increase was as low as that. The Rotorua area component went up 12.8 per cent on last year's figure and the regional council's a whopping 26.2 per cent, making an overall increase of 14.5 per cent and an extra $482 to have to pay.

Ronald Mayes
Rotorua

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