FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
17th November  2009

CAT calls for accuracy

 
An article quoting the Mayor of Tauranga, Stuart Crosby, published in Sun Live on August 5, 2009, contained inaccurate information.
 
Citizens Advocacy Tauranga Inc. (CAT) president, Leo Mangos, said the organisation was committed to constructively working with council so responded to Mayor Crosby’s "inaccurate quotes" by writing to him asking for explanations and references.  "Mayor Crosby has been unable or unwilling to provide explanations or references to back up his statements." says Leo.
 
Mayor Crosby’s claim that CAT criticised the council’s debt management was incorrect.  CAT did criticise the accumulation of debt by the Mayor and Council and the absence of ideas, policies and actions to generate wealth to pay the debt back.  Mayor Crosby’s response to CAT’s question ‘What is your credible plan to create the economic activity required to repay Tauranga's debt?’ was to point CAT towards Council policies.  Namely “keep rates affordable” and “strong sustainable economy”.  CAT asked the Mayor whether he considered a 50 per cent rates rise in four years affordable, and how increasing the rates burden as a percentage of incomes helps create a strong vibrant economy, with every dollar consumed by our unproductive council a dollar that our productive income generating businesses cannot use.  Mayor Crosby failed to respond.
 
Mayor Crosby claims “The council has taken more than $300 million in spending out of the ten year plan, and reduced costs by more than $100 million over the same period.”   CAT’s analysis can only find a $37 million saving in the overlapping years of the 06-16 LTCCP and the 09-19 LTCCP.  When questioned, Mayor Crosby failed to produce references to published documents to back up his $300 million and $100 million claims.
 
Mayor Crosby said  CAT was completely wrong on its the Southern pipeline costings saying "He (Leo Mangos) needs to learn about it first.”  CAT have re-reviewed the Southern pipeline reports including two peer reviews and cannot find where the major peer review criticisms are addressed in the final report. Mayor Crosby has been unable to provide references to documents explaining how the peer reviewer’s harsh criticisms have been solved by council. e.g. “we are surprised to note the SWWTP (southern waste water treatment plant) is estimated to cost more than the SPP (southern pipe line project).” And that there are “almost $29 million in ‘other’ cost areas”
 
“The comparison of the $44 million Tauranga Indoor Sports Centre with a larger Hamilton centre, Leo says costs $8 million, is also wrong,” said Mayor Crosby.  The Tauranga indoor sports centre is budgeted to cost $41 million (the number quoted by CAT) not $44 million as quoted by the Mayor. The eight- court Hamilton sports centre is budgeted to cost $22.7 million (as quoted by CAT), not $8 million quoted by Mayor Crosby.
 
Mayor Crosby said “My understanding is that its $68 million, so he’s got that wrong.  He should come and see us and get his facts right before he comments.”  Unlike Mayor Crosby, the facts and figures used by CAT  are 100 per cent correct.  CAT provided references to Mayor Crosby for all the facts and figures it used, but the Mayor has been unable to provide references for his “quotes”.  Should Mayor Crosby and his staff review the Hamilton City Council LTCCP they would see that $68 million is for the Claudelands Event Centre, which is not comparable to the TISEC.
 
The letter CAT sent, the Mayor’s reply, CAT’s comments on the Mayor’s reply and further questions to clarify the Mayor’s reports can be found on the CAT WEB www.afford.co.nz
 
ends
 
 

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