A Broxholme, ratepayer

There is a very old saying along the lines of “Bad things happen when good people stay silent”.

I think a major factor in the low turnout for local body elections has been that many people feel their vote makes no difference. This time though, it just might.

Of all the mayoral candidates, Philip Jacobs stands out. While he may not be able to do all he has promised, I believe he will do everything in his power to reign in a council who are financially irresponsible and who do not reflect the needs of the district.

I don't know Mr Jacobs personally but have met and talked to him and have studied what he has shared on council finances. As an accountant he clearly understands what he is writing about and the conclusions he draws are horrifying. The council is $183 million in debt and running a multi-million-dollar deficit on operational costs so debt will rise by at least another $10 million this year. Are you unhappy, as I am, at rates having gone up 42 percent in the last three years​? Well unless we, the ratepayers, act and put him in the mayoral office then it could get even worse.

Mayor Victor Luca is a clever man, but I don't think he is the leader we need to turn things around. I've tried to read the Local Government Act, and it isn't easy to understand but Mr Jacobs has read it and I believe him when he says that mayors are not just one voice among eleven; they can do far more than current and previous mayors have chosen to do. It’s time we had a mayor who plans to use every bit of power they have to tackle, head on, our reckless council, they wasted millions on a boat harbour that was not properly costed and who are still going ahead with a $100 million-plus Rex Morpeth redevelopment.

On the issue of council staffing, based on an Official Information Act request the council workforce has grown from 219 in 2018-19 with an average salary of $76,222 to 292.4 in 2023-24 with an average salary of $92,000. Latest figures now indicate we have over 310, almost 20 more in just over a year. I don't know what they do, but it costs us almost $27 million, plus whatever pay rises took place in the past year. That has happened under the watch of all those councillors seeking re-election.

When I was younger, I planned on having a paid for house and a modest retirement fund under the impression that we would only need to feed and clothe ourselves on a fixed retirement income. Now, rates are an increasing burden and rising faster than any other day to day cost. In 2015, our rates were $2152. This year, they will be $3757. I feel the council priorities are all wrong and it is doing many things we don't need and cannot afford to fund. The elected council is supposed to govern, I don't think it has been doing that, I think councillors have been asleep at the wheel and that paid council staff have been driving the district into a deep fiscal hole. This must stop. The only candidate who has fully committed himself to fiscal restraint is Mr Jacobs, so if you have thrown your voting papers in the bin, or haven't even opened them yet, get them out and vote, or you really can't complain if we get all the usual faces back and nothing changes except our ever-increasing rates bill.