Bill Dalton

There is a small, but very vociferous group, here in Napier that has embarked on a campaign to prove to Napier – and more importantly Napier City Councillors – that Napier has enclaves of those who are less well off.

Pages of professorial notes and graphs have been produced and statements made – all trying to prove their point.

It is almost as if these campaigners feel guilty sitting in their comfortable homes on the hill or at Westshore. 

Well I have a message for those well meaning but misguided folk.  We know.  I’ll spell it out clearly for them.  We know there are areas of the city where those in the lower socioeconomic group live.  Just as there are those sorts of areas in every city in the world.  Even under communism – a system I’m sure our campaigners have studied – there are haves and have not’s and the haves tend to live in one area and the have not’s in another.  It is a fact of life.

As a City Councillor, I ask this group what they want the City Council to do about it.

In this country, we have a tax system that taxes the higher income earners, the better off, at higher rates to enable the county’s wealth to be spread more evenly.

The better off tend to live in higher value areas so rates become another mechanism that transfers wealth from the well off to the less well off.
 
And of course the Napier city councillors – who have long been aware of the areas of special need in our community – just like I am sure councillors in every city in New Zealand are aware – puts extra resources into those areas.

As a Councillor, I don’t need to be brow beaten by those who, for whatever reason, feel they need to push one sector of our community.  My job, on behalf of all ratepayers is to use the resources available to council in the fairest way possible.

And let me assure our trendy little group – that includes extra resources for those most in need.

And it’s interesting to note that our hill and Westshore dwellers are not calling for an increase in rates in these areas, in order to assist those in need.

Related posts:

1. Council wards debate again
2. At large councillors represent Napier as a whole
3. Lies, damned lies and statistics