My principal place of residence is in the Kaitake-Ngāmotu General Ward area.
We love our city, but we feel like we've been ignored. Your council is elected by you, to serve you, and so should focus on their core business - making New Plymouth an affordable home for all of us to enjoy.
With my 40+ years of experience in civil engineering and the petrochemical industry, I understand how our infrastructure should be constructed and maintained. Our city needs a sustainable vision for our future that works for all, is enjoyable for all, and is affordable by all.
I have observed increased expenditure, declining roading, inadequate rubbish services, and parks falling into disrepair, where once I city fulfilled these functions to the envy of others.
We can build a better New Plymouth, and create opportunities for business growth and provide social services, without excessive rates increases, through transparency and accountability - two values I hold close to my heart.
No. An average rates increase of 6% year on year would result in an over 59.38% rates rise after 8 years. This is quite frankly unaffordable, and is being disguised as “just 6%”.
We need to concentrate on core council services, and create a legacy of sustainable growth with fiscal responsibility.
No. Our water infrastructure is the last large asset owned by the people. We must not allow it to have the potential to be packaged off and sold, as other assets have been in the past. New Plymouth has already experienced the pain of this with the sale of Powerco.
No. Our predecessors in their foresight put in flood control to stop downtown flooding. Since then we have increased our catchment area, and diverted water into different catchments, potentially putting our infrastructure in danger of failing. We need to continue to maintain our investment in this key infrastructure for our future.
Yes. In decades past, the Auckland region stole Taranaki businesses via the incentive of rates rebates.
We can reverse that, not only through Taranaki’s excellent lifestyle and lower cost of living, but through targeted rates rebates and simplified compliance, so fresh business ideas can grow, thrive, and provide new jobs.
An evaluation should take place after this election as to whether the implementation of a Māori ward has adequately represented the voters who are on the Māori electoral roll. If not, what would fairly represent the views of the 7% in our district who are on that roll?
I was born in Inglewood, and have seen previously independent boroughs relegated into satellites of New Plymouth. Why are many services administered from New Plymouth, when our communities could grow through decentralisation of council functions to our neglected towns? This will aid with decongesting the city, and developing our communities.
Will it stop at $40 million?
So many other council projects have blown out, that this looks like another example of the council doing it first, then asking for forgiveness later when the price escalates.
We need to ask: Who will use this, and how much will its maintenance cost?
There is a tsunami of rate increases coming, and we don’t know how big it is.
Citizens pay the rates, and so should expect councillors to set the rates at what they can afford.
Council contracts should reflect these desires, and be fully transparent, not obfuscated under “commercial sensitivity”.
