Control spending--don't raise Rates or sell assets

Waitaki Council should pay for the Sports/Events Centre by elimination of non-essential Council spending, and not by Rates increases or sale of public property like Forrester Heights.

The Council pledged on 27 June 2023 to contribute $15 million to help build a Sports/Events Centre.  Most of this money would need to be borrowed. Debt service and other costs would cause a substantial Rates increase.  Council wants to raise a small part of the cost by selling assets--like Forrester Heights, even though 72% of public submissions in 2022 favoured keeping Forrester Heights in public ownership.

The Waitaki Ratepayers & Residents Association says that Council should cut out non-essential spending instead of raising Rates or selling Forrester Heights.   The Association has suggested $7 million in savings that would cover the annual costs of the Sports/Events Centre and still leave room for important public projects.

Visit the website Waitaki-Ratepayers.nz for more details.