ACT is joining calls to rein in Tauranga City Council’s unelected Commissioners as they consider committing ratepayers to a 10-year budget.
“For too long, Nanaia Mahuta’s Commissioners have been given free rein to commit ratepayers to major long-term spending projects,” says ACT Local Government spokesman Cameron Luxton, a Tauranga ratepayer.
“With Commissioners committing hundreds of millions of dollars to projects like the city centre transformation, they’ve acted more like dictators than caretakers.
“The city centre will look like chump change compared to the spending locked in under the coming Long-Term Plan and its associated contracts. ACT says the ten-year plan should be the role of elected leadership, who are at least held accountable every three years to the households paying the bills.
“National and ACT both campaigned on restoring democracy to Tauranga. I’m asking the new Minister for Local Government to take steps to delay the Long-Term Plan and its associated contracts until after democratic leadership is established in July.”