Councils Holding the Country to Ransom

[Perry]

Just another everyday debacle that typifies
what happens when people can freely spend
other people's money with little/no fear of
any retribution, personal cost, or censure.

[eri]

– the council bungled badly
when it told local boards they’d have to do without $300 million of projects they’d been working on, so head office’s work could continue….

The council bungled badly again
when it brought back the consultative group (now a board) offering advice on funding options for transport – which the advisors & the council knew would not wash with the Government….

And the council continues to bungle
over the city rail link. Plenty of people think it’s a great idea (and plenty don’t), but it won’t happen without finance. The world is awash with money available for public infrastructure, but throughout the council’s promotion of the rail link no suggestion has been made of what avenues it’s exploring to fund the project, other than the schemes the Government is in a position to veto….

What if the Government actually liked the road congestion-reducing prospect of a better rail network?
What if the Government could be persuaded that ideas like those of Gen Zero & the Congestion Free Network might solve problems?
What if there was evidence of discussions on funding?

Those are the things that will return confidence in the council. The bungling has been unnecessary, the council needs to open up to its citizens, and this week’s budget debate is a good place to start….

bob dey report

[eri]

super-sized lies

i hope in hell he fries

my first vote in local body election

will be to

flush down brown

the lush with no plan

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/62944340/Auckland-Council-votes-to-hike-rates

The council also agreed to raise the cost of water and wastewater by 2.5 per cent for the first two years of the Long-Term Plan and 3.6 per cent for the remaining eight years.

[speights boy]

Record immigration = higher rates.
Enjoy.

[eri]

less to do with immigration

than simply failing to plan for growth

and spending more than receiving

[speights boy]

less to do with immigration
than simply failing to plan for growth

Thanks record immigration and the forecasting of it to continue....primarily into Auckland.

and spending more than receiving

Hence services being cut and rates increasing.

Enjoy record immigration and all the wonders it will bring.
Just be prepared to pay for the privilege.

[Damap]

Someone should tell them the Taniwha is extinct.

[eri]

mayor and cfo of the super city

malicious in the rates lies

or just incompetent?

The Auckland Council has today voted for massive household rates increases of 40 per cent or more next year for some households.
.....
Mayor Len Brown led the case for adjusting rates in one hit next year, saying the council should not continue to tinker around the edges.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/ar...ectid=11360554

maybe now labour have shown they have no need of their sharpest tool

parker could help remove auckland's brown stain

The first casualty after the new leader was announced was list MP David Parker who admitted he had been "slammed" and said he would no longer be finance spokesman or deputy leader.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/63305825/Andrew-Little-new-Labour-Party-leader-by-a-whisker

[eri]

yet another expensive example

of why "give everybody everything" brown isn't fit to be the cfo of charity shop

let alone the supercity

apparently he's never thought of having a contingency fund

Exclusive New computer system set to cost up to $100 million more than budget and be a year late

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11361387

[Wayne]

Up $100mil on a $70mil contract is a huge overrun!

[Perry]

The long-suffering hapless Auckland ratepayers
must be really browned off with all this. That
said - and as has been observed on the forums
in the past - new computer systems have a
nasty predilection for going over budget and
over deadline. Often in grand style, too, says
he, INCISively.

[speights boy]

The long-suffering hapless Auckland ratepayers
must be really browned off with all this.

They are indeed Perry.

Apparently there was outrage by many ratepayers unable to access a website to check their new found property wealth over a few days.

I guess a few extra million being spent on the system in order to rectify this atrocity will be seen as money well spent (by some)

[Wayne]

They are indeed Perry.

Apparently there was outrage by many ratepayers unable to access a website to check their new found property wealth over a few days.

I guess a few extra million being spent on the system in order to rectify this atrocity will be seen as money well spent (by some)

I suspect the $100mil is for a little more than that.

It seems their budget was around $70mil. An extra $5 or $10mil I could understand but more than double?

[speights boy]

I suspect the $100mil is for a little more than that.

Indeed; I trust it includes faster internet for employees who wish to use social media while at work.

[eri]

seems the IT guys

having failed to deliver what they promised

have now asked for double the money

for something that is promised will do even more!

and our councillors

in secret sessions

have agreed!

why does this sound like a nigerian scam?

or mangawai all over again...