CHRISTCHURCH CITY RATE INCREASES
Having read the responses to the original post I note that not one person put their hand up to say they will stand at the next election and do a better job than the incumbents even though they criticize the present mayor and councilors. I am a harsh critic of council and don't agree with much of what they do or how they do it, but the reality is they are governed by rules, regulations and laws which often makes decision making painfully slow. Our world is being strangled by consultants and RED TAPE.
While nobody likes rate increases, the reality is most of us want and expect more and more from our councils, if we don't want a rugby stadium with a roof, others will want one for concerts and on and on it goes.
Christchurch rates are lower than many other towns and cities even though we have had far greater adversity than anyone else.
Many object to contributing to the Cathedral rebuild, but the amount they are being asked to pay is pittance, about $65 over 10 years.
My largest objection is the cycle-ways and I am certain the majority agree. The amount being spent on them and walkways is just totally ridiculous.
Council have to consult and advertise the projects they intend to carry out, but in most cases the information is so scant it is a waste of time as a lay person is unable to decipher or understand, whereas I am sure if the information was made easily available and understandable in full detailed drawings many projects wouldn't be acceptable to ratepayers.
I am sure the council would get so much more "buy in" if they detailed projects with clear drawings and descriptions and also if they put up alternative ways of doing things with cost comparisons. It is the manner which council does things in "over the top" "Rolls Royce" approaches that really gets "the backs up" of ratepayers. Another revamp of Cathedral square is a prime example.
Council also needs to take a "deep breath" and question their motive and continuance to run loss making events such as The Buskers Festival etc etc - even the "free" Concerts in the Park cost us the ratepayers a lot of money.
Many residents want more and more (additional rates) - whereas many more of us "thinking" ratepayers are wanting less and less (stable rates).
Best way to use leftovers?
I'm sure you've got some excess ham at home or cold roast potatoes.
What are some of your favourite ways to use leftover food from Christmas day? Share below.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Poll: Would you rather: Christmas in summer forever or winter forever?
Just a bit of a fun poll to get you thinking.
If you had to live out your Christmas days, would you prefer it was a summer Christmas or a winter Christmas?
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61.9% Summer
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36.6% Winter
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1.5% Other - I'll share below
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