Vision Otago – a group of candidates dedicated to reforming the Otago Regional Council – have today released their rates and finance policy for this coming election.

Motivated in good part by “obscene annual rate rises over these past six years”, the Vision team have pledged to “reduce rates – not hold them – reduce rates over their first council term.”

Despite having no effective debt, owning 100% of the Port of Otago, and drawing an annual dividend of $15 million from the Port, the ORC has raised rates by an average 47% over the last three years.

Most of that has been spent upon staff – rising from 170 to 355 this financial year.

“If you add the Maclaggan street monstrosity – the over-budget and year late new Dunedin HQ building for ORC staff – you get a picture of a council out of financial control.”

Vision Otago’s candidates include sitting councillors Michael Laws and Gary Kelliher, who opposed all of the annual rates rises over this past term in a bid to instil more responsibility to the council’s finances.

“ In the midst of a cost of living crisis – when farmers, businesses and ordinary households are doing it tough – the ORC has purposefully turned a blind eye. And they’ve also awarded annual 5% salary increases to their own staff, whilst increasing their numbers.

“ This isn’t so much not reading the room – this is not reading the region. It must stop, and Vision Otago will do so.”

Vision Otago’s candidates are Hilary Calvert (Dunedin), Carmen Hope (Molyneux), Nicky Rhodes, Gary Kelliher and Michael Laws (Dunstan).

For more details – www.visionotago.nz

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