Last week I had a go at the greedy Regional Councillors for sticking their grubby mits out for every cent they could get from the public purse.
Frankly the Hastings District Councillors are no better – they too have grabbed every cent they can.
The Napier City Councillors, our Mayor and Chief Executive are alone in our region in saying – “we will give a lead to our people – we will take no more until economic conditions improve”.
And do you know what? Only one of those Regional or Hastings District Councillors has contacted me to try and justify their position. Only one has tried to tell me that my view is wrong. Does that tell you something? Christine Scott tells me she voted against the increase in salary.
On the other hand I have been inundated with comments from good solid Hawkes Bay people who have said – “well done Napier City Councillors, we are proud of what you have done”.
It’s not hard is it? I look around the table at Napier City Council meetings and I see a group of people who are there to do their bit for the city. Several are not in a strong financial position but to a person they all agreed to forgo an increase in stipend.
It’s just a shame that others in the region didn’t have that sort of guts.
Rates have been the hot topic at council meetings throughout the region over the last week or two. Frankly, unless a decision is made to borrow for essential services and council responsibilities, reasonable rate increases are inevitable.
Napier looks at this stage like incurring a rate increase of around 2.7%. Frankly if we want to continue with curbside recycling – which I believe is essential – the increase could be up to 3.5%, depending on what arrangements can be made with the collection professionals.
Whatever happens, Napier City Councillors, their Mayor and Chief Executive can sit comfortably. No increase in their stipend is built into the rating mix.
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