Former CODC accountant baffled by plan

THE Central Otago District Council annual plan has rate rises in the 20%+ range, and projected to be the same in the next two years as well. For some households and nonprofit organisations, this increase is in the 3537% range.

As ratepayers we are entitled to have clear, understandable explanations as to why rate increases at this level is suddenly considered acceptable to politicians. Do they consider the position of an elderly pensioner when taking a further $800+ from their pension, and to contemplate this again in each of the following two years, remembering that the percentage increase will have a compounding effect?

And if that savage rate increase was not enough, ratepayers see the council spending $42 million for a replacement for Cromwell Memorial Hall.

At a personal level, when times are tough, we don’t go out and spend profligately on nice to have expensive treats. We tighten our belts and restrict our spending. The least we should expect from our councillors is to apply the same constraint.

Shortly, Central Otago will only be affordable to the rich and famous, as the ordinary citizens will be all trying to leave because they can no longer afford to pay the rates.

I went along to the dropin session in Alexandra on May 6 expecting to at least hear from councillors what was really driving the cost increases that we are expected to pay. There was little to be gained from this as there was no organisation, no council supporting staff there, and the councillors I spoke to had little real understanding of what they were defending.

Drilling into the annual plan to find out what was driving the increase in governance and corporate services, even I, as one time accountant for the council, was unable to unpick it. So how does this pass as consultation? Unless there is some moderation of the planned increase(s), current councillors can expect to face a strong rebuke at the ballot box.

Trevor Goudie

Alexandra