My Account
Where’s the evidence?
Call me an old dog if you wish, however, I have spent too many years paying targeted rates to allow this latest money grab to go unchallenged. My position as a Rodney Local Board member means I can confirm there is no Council document supporting the Rodney targeted rate. There’s only personal opinions from a couple of my colleagues, backed by the Mayor, that the community wants this new tax. Every official document summarising the public’s feedback says it’s not supported. I challenge my colleagues to produce the factual evidence that supports their claims that it is (Errors in Viewpoint, MM July 4). Every Board decision I’ve ever seen has an associated Council document with the evidence to support that decision, except this time. It’s a disgrace, hoodwinking and undemocratic to the core that it got voted in. The fact is our communities will be paying an 8.4 per cent rate increase for core Council services that we should be getting anyway. Beth Houlbrooke, I’m calling you out. Show the community any Council document proving your statement that 52 per cent support your new tax.
Colin Smith, Rodney Local Board
Support for Kath’s Cakes
The recent controversy over the stand made by Kath’s Devine Cakes in Warkworth, not to make a wedding cake for a gay couple, is a matter of Christian freedom. We stand with Kath and we call on all committed Christians to stand with us in support of Christian freedom. And we are pleased with the stand Kath has taken. Please do not see this letter as gay bashing. We accept your lifestyle. In return, respect the Christian point of view as we find it in Romans chapter 1, verse 26.
John and Barbara Starrenburg, Kevin and Cheryl Bartlett, Margaret Banyard, Warkworth
Problem solved
I was reading, the column ‘Snug in the greenhouse’ by Andrew Steens (MM July 18). He mentioned he had to work out how to insect screen the door opening of his greenhouse. I too had the same problem with the door opening in my greenhouse. I wanted to allow a breeze through, but keep the chooks and insects out. At Christmas, we purchased a magnetic screen door from the Warehouse – one of those ‘as seen on TV’ things to try to keep the flies out of the house. It didn’t work too well on the aluminium ranch sliders but works absolutely fantastically on the greenhouse door. I roughly gun-stapled it onto the wood at the top and sides of the door framing with the magnets in the middle. It clicks shut automatically with the magnets, but allows easy access when carrying plants or produce in and out of the greenhouse.
Diane Osborne
