What the public think

So why the secrecy? Why this time to announce it? Kind of don’t believe this and it’s still not OK to try and hide the deal. Why not incentivize Toyota in other ways rather than with ratepayers funds which should be allocated to other areas? Ros Hallam

I think the PN ratepayers have just had the wool pulled over their eyes, the only reason they kept it quiet is because now all the big companies facing financial difficulty will be lining up for their handout . . . the council works for the people not the companies. Darren Kamura

A great decision. $400k is bugger all when you look at the bigger picture. Gerard Patena

I however pay a fortune in rates and support mayor smith and counsellors with the decision made. Think ahead people . . . huge rail hub coming up, we need these businesses here. Gayle Lewis

So when local developers take time to go and make a submission to the 10-yearplan and say that development levies are not working and are costing deals, the mayor gets upset and closes the subject down. But a multinational asks for their development levies back, they agree in a closed meeting to give them the $449,650 including GST, and if they need more, say upto $519,000, that is OK as well. Paul Barris

It would seem the city council has lost its way with use of ratepayers’ money. City councillors and the mayor have shot themselves in the foot over the leaked report on the large handout to a private company, it only leads to a loss of trust and good will between city councillors and those of us who call the city home. Kevin Reilly

Grant Smith would have us believe he has kept Toyota here and is the great saviour of our city. Why then was he not shouting this from the rooftops when the decision was made to give them $400,000? I very much doubt Toyota would have pulled out . . . The infrastructure they have here is enormous and would cost mega millions to set up elsewhere. Text to editor