‘If Politics is the Art of the Possible, Economics is the Science of Sound Choices’ – or so says Labour candidate for Wellington’s Southern Ward, Keith Johnson.
Keith believes that the real issues are restraining new spending, getting better value for money and allocating more back to the community. As an economist, he is offering to put future spending decisions under the microscope.
As an example, Keith cites the Mayor’s recent attempt (without analysis or public consultation) to persuade the Chinese Government to loan us a pair of Pandas, at an annual cost to ratepayers exceeding $4 million per year.
Keith’s campaign banner is Caring about Costs – Caring about Community’. He wants to end rate increases for householders, end rates re-balancing from the commercial to the residential sectors, get a grip on wasteful spending and ensure that more money comes back to support local services and community activities.
Wellington residential rates will rise by at least 5.6 percent next year. This will add $100 to $150 to each household’s rates bill. Already there is talk of an emerging $200 million shortfall in the Council’s finances and a further $87 million will have to be found to cover WCC's contribution to solving the local Leaky Buildings problem.
While about 85 percent of the Council’s budget is focussed on funding basic services, a 15 percent ‘dividend’ has been available that could be spent on pet projects and making Wellington ‘party central’. In harder times, Keith suggests that it is ‘time for a cup of tea’ on splashing out.
Keith also points out that WCC has just re-balanced the rates burden from the commercial sector to the household sector and argues that if more is taken from residential ratepayers in the suburbs, more should flow back to local communities (including providing all-weather sports grounds).
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