Who should be Gore District's next mayor?

With locals due to go to the polls in early October, we've asked the two candidates for their opinions on the major issues facing the district. We're publishing the answers each week in the run up to the election.

Here's the third instalment:

The average rate increase for 2022/2023 financial year has been set at 5.94%. Families are struggling with inflation in general. Should the council continue to raise rates over the coming years to meet infrastructure and other needs, or drastically slash its budgets?

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Ben Bell

Age: 23

Occupation: Director/business owner (Software Development)

What are the most positive aspects of life in Gore and what can be done to enhance them?

The Council needs to take a look at its spending – and where it can operate more effectively. There are real questions to be asked about why the Council has tripled its number of General Managers in the last 6 months (from 2 to 6) when we are faced with Government's current threat of taking the majority of our funding away if three waters goes ahead.

It's not about drastically slashing budgets – it's about rebalancing the Council priorities and getting back to basics. The Council can also prepare a buffer against the financial headwinds by investing carefully in a long term maintenance programme for our infrastructure and assets, making smart use of shared services, and ensuring we are accountable to our community and transparent in our decision-making.

We also need to determine if we can use any of our current assets to generate an income that will lessen the burden on ratepayers, and think carefully about value-for-money on each of the services and facilities Council provides. We need to attract and retain smart people here.

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Tracy Hicks

Age: 70

Occupation: Mayor

The average rate increase for 2022/2023 financial year has been set at 5.94%. Families are struggling with inflation in general. Should the council continue to raise rates over the coming years to meet infrastructure and other needs, or drastically slash its budgets?

The level of rates in the Gore District, and to be fair right across the nation have become a real impost on communities and needs careful management.

The challenge is balancing the needs and wants of communities with the obligations to provide essential services such as water, waste, and roads.

The only real option I see to achieve that fair and equitable balance is to partner with Central Government which would introduce new funding streams into essential services communities need.

It’s said that local government is the second wing of democracy with Central Government being the first.

In my view its time central government fronted up to ensure the health and vitality of communities are maintained.

Rates are a Tax, a property tax.

If the total tax take, Income tax, GST etc. collected by Inland Revenue as well as the total rates income for the country were combined then more than 90% of that figure is currently applied by Central Government. Local Government is a minor benefactor but has major responsibilities to discharge.

In my view more of the tax take needs to find its way into local essential services.

Currently the only option on to councils is slash budgets and underfund essential infrastructure. Not a happy position to inhabit.

Either of the options put in the question are not viable in my view.