Last week I said that I would try to show what zero rates over the next three years would mean. Firstly, a lesson on what makes up rates. A City Council spends money with operating costs and capital expenditure. Operating costs include mowing lawns, running libraries, swimming pools etc. … [Read more...]
It’s not every week I agree with Mike Yardley:
I have put aside a small portion of Tuesday mornings, prior to the Local Body elections, to read Mike Yardley’s current focus the Mayoral election campaign. This paragraph caught my attention last week: There is unquestionably a whiff of Trump-style disruption to Park's campaign platform, with … [Read more...]
Garry Writes…
I have been viewing the Mayoral election campaign with great interest. I know Darryl Park. It mystified me why he was standing for Mayor. He has shown little interest in local politics in the past. I served on the Board of Canterbury Tourism and he was the CEO. That’s the closest I have seen him to … [Read more...]
John Tamihere is continuing the nonsense numbers about Christchurch:
Cam Preston wrote to me with this message which ties in with our recent coverage of successive Governments spreading mis-information on how much was spent in Christchurch after the earthquakes. Here is what he wrote: This week I have been listening to debate and comments from the mayoral hopefuls … [Read more...]
Chamber of Commerce “Directive”
The Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce has produced a document and required Mayoral candidates to respond to it. It’s called a “directive”. Here it is: https://cecc.org.nz/CECC_Public/About/Local_Government Directive.aspx Before I analyse the document on the Mayoral election, I want to … [Read more...]
Our Mayoral debate was sponsored by a lobby group:
I didn’t go to the Mayoral debate this year. I felt that it was a set-up. They way it was run, as reported to me, confirmed my fears. I was informed by people before the event that they had applied for tickets, and had been declined. Yet some of their friends who applied at the same time received … [Read more...]
Some candidates for CCC are misleading us and the media is letting them get away with it:
I love Bernard Hickey’s writing. He writes financial articles which are readable and amazingly sensible. This week he wrote this column https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2019/08/27/775725/glimmers-of-hope-amid-the-usual-magical-thinking I especially like this paragraph:It's the stuff of politicians … [Read more...]
Garry’s thoughts 27 August 2019
I love election campaigns. It’s a time when ideas can be tried out and all of us get a chance to think about them. It’s a time when the lights of transparency are shone on our elected reps; and we deliberate on whether or not they justify us putting a tick beside their name in the … [Read more...]
Local Body Election Forum
Wainoni Avonside Community Services Trust are hosting the following Local Body Elections Forums over the next month They are as follows: CDHB Candidates Forum Wed 27 August from 11.45 am - 12.45pm @ 878 Avonside Drive|MC Hon Margaret Austin Mayoral Candidates Forum Wed 4 Sept from … [Read more...]