HOS supports higher rates

In a rather brave editorial, the Herald on Sunday attacks candidates promoting cuts in rates and hence local body expenditure.

It’s an interesting viewpoint that assumes every single cent of expenditure is on good things, and is not at all wasteful.  It assumes the tens of millions on consultants is all essential.  Without these, the Council might not be able to fix the roads and pick up the rubbish.

I can’t work out how spending $46 million a year on carbon credits (a commitment not asked for by central Government or in fact anyone) will help fix the roads.

The Herald on Sunday also backs Bruce Hucker, saying “Hubbard’s deputy, Bruce Hucker, was disowned by his City Vision colleagues when he stuck to his argument that ratepayers would have to accept a massive increase in water bills to pay for the upgrade of the city’s Victorian-era stormwater system.”

Now I might be wrong here, but I thought the issue was The Council was demanding of Metrowater the equivalent of special dividends to fund extra Council activities, well beyond the stormwater system.