Submission
9 year plan feedback
Should we remove 231 Stuart Street (formerly the Fortune Theatre) from the list of strategic assets in the DCC Significance and Engagement policy?
Yes, remove 231 Stuart Street from the list of strategic assets (this is our preferred option)
Do you have any comments about 231 Stuart Street?
Should we charge an entry fee of $20 (incl. GST) for international visitors aged 16 and over, at Toitū and Dunedin Public Art Gallery?
Do you have any comments about the entry fee for international visitors?
Is there anything else you would like to tell us?
9 Year Plan Submission
from Terry Wilson, Dunedin
The DCC continues to be a harmful influence on our prosperity and quality of life with its unacceptably high rates increases, its vitriolic hatred of car drivers and its support for enviro-extremists and Maori Nationalists. This focus on political/activist causes seems to have been detrimental to its ability to efficiently manage the city’s essential infrastructure. I have these points to make about the 9 Year Plan:
● The proposed rates increases, over 10% for each of the next 3 years, would be a burden on many ratepayers, already punished by previous high rates increases. From 2021 to 2028 the previous and proposed increases result in a 96% increase over a period of just 7 years. This is caused by the DCC’s unwillingness, to control its spending.
● The auditor of the 9 Year Plan has finally discovered the size of the 3 waters renewals backlog. He expresses concern at its size – a deficit of $1.003 billion, and warns us that the DCC’s alleged 30 year plan to fix this, is too long and risks failures. Over the 9 years, this plan will make the renewals backlog worse by $158 million. It is reckless to choose to make this problem worse, given the decrepit state of our 3-waters systems. It is not enough to spend a billion dollars replacing the buggered pipes to restore the original performance, because serious upgrades will also be needed to achieve the modern standards of first-world countries. The cost of upgrades could easily exceed $1 billion. The DCC has no plan to achieve internationally accepted 3-waters performance targets and has no clue how to pay for the $2+ billion of renewals and upgrades.
● This plan includes an unbalance budget for the 2026 financial year. This means that the DCC intends to spend more than its income. This is a repeat of the current year and results in more debt. This behavior is illegal under the Local Government Act, without a good reason – and the DCC does not have a good reason.
● The Smooth Hill Landfill should proceed to ensure a reliable service and consistent user costs.
● Public toilets are lacking in Dunedin. Funding should be restored to continue building more. The cost of these needs to be controlled. It should be obvious to Councillors that $750,000 is too much for a toilet.
● There is no Treaty Partnership with the DCC or central government. Don’t spend my money on this crap. The Treaty makes no mention of a partnership. Instead, it makes us one country, with one government and all of us equal.
● The Princes St downgrade should not proceed (closed to cars, busses only). The closure of Princes St and the Octagon to cars, will force the complete closure of what was George St. This car-less city experiment should not be funded.
● Comments from the DCC CEO show that she is expecting a windfall gain from when water meter charges are brought in (2026 or 2027). Ratepayers will expect rates to reduce by the amount of the water meter charges, but the CEO seems to be budgeting on no rates reduction. With the water supply costs moved to a separate company or department, the CEO and Councillors will be wallowing in money and happy to spend it by destroying South Dunedin, painting rainbows on roads and pursuing their car-hating agenda etc.
Local Water Done Well feedback
Which water services delivery model do you support?
Why did you choose this option?
Do you have any other feedback related to the proposed water services delivery models?
Supporting information
Submitter
Submission id number: 1132597
Submitter name:
Terry Wilson
Organisation