OPINION:  where you can have your say
Candidate disagrees with Editorial

To the Editor Village Press, from Colin MacGillivray, Candidate Rodney District Council

Your support for one mayoral candidate is disappointing*. With only one other candidate with excellent credentials it is most odd. An even handed approach would have been better to validate the Village Press as a source of unbiased news and opinion

John Law has proved his lack of judgement by tolerating the traffic debacle each evening on the Hibiscus Coast Highway and Whangaparaoa Road for 4 years. The widening of Whangaparaoa Road between Red Beach Road and Vipond Road has been delayed for that time because Mr Law didn't want it to proceed. He didn't want to jeopardize progress on Penlink . He disregarded Traffic Engineers who advised that even with Penlink, 4 laning is needed. Penlink would take at least 4 years to open even if it was viable then. With road construction costs (of Alpurt B2) showing enormous escalation, I fear every penny spent to date will be wasted. The new $700,000 study will prove it is a lemon.

It was also unwise to tender Penlink when the legislation was not in place. It was a waste of everyone's time and money.

This lack of good judgement is enough reason to vote for any alterative but the most worrying feature of Mr Law as mayor is his cavalier attitude to budgets. At each LTCCP meeting this year, he derided the process. Nobody can forecast budgets he said. This is a worrying starting point for financial responsibility.

Larry Mitchell has direct experience of the budgets of dozens of other Councils and is an accountant. Budgets are rather boring and no one ever got a photo opportunity with a budget. (Except the occupant of No 11 Downing Street) In my opinion, our rates are safer with Mr Mitchell.

In another editorial, you say that there are many more candidates this time perhaps attracted by the pay. For your information there are the same number in the eastern ward as 2001.

-- Colin MacGillivray - Candidate,  Rodney District Council, East Ward

[Ed: You may have your say - we run word exact as received.  Writers may disagree with others, with your reasons why (as above) but Personal attacks are not accepted.]

* Editorial criticised VillagePRESS

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