No ratepayers should not sponsor a rugby team

Stuff reports:

Wellington City Council has been asked to sponsor the Wellington Lions, however any deal could come with conditions to play more games in the community.

The Wellington Rugby Union pitched a proposal to council’s community, sport and recreation committee last week.

No, no, no. Stop finding ways to tax ratepayers more and focus on roads, rates, libraries, parks etc.

Leave sponsorship to corporates.

Bad enough they have just lost $300,000 in corporate welfare elsewhere:

Members of a small Wellington City Council panel who agreed to loan $300,000 to a call centre are keeping quiet after the business went into liquidation.

The decision to loan $300,000 of ratepayer money to Wellington business CallActive, now in liquidation, was made by a panel of only three councillors and the chief executive.

One of those on the panel was Mayor Celia Wade-Brown, who refused to comment on the loan approval, but said decisions were made “with considerable debate, and taking into account the recommendation of officers”.

“That’s all I’m going to say. Goodbye.”

Well that is accountability!