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Town Hall Upgrade a “Sickening Waste”
Press Release
ISSUED BY AFFORDABLE WELLINGTON
Town
Hall
Town Hall Upgrade a “Sickening
Waste”
Reagan Cutting, Affordable
Wellington council candidate for Northern Ward has labelled
Wellington City Council’s authorisation to spend $46
million on an upgrade of the town hall a “sickening waste
of money at a time when we can least afford
it.”
He also says, “The Council’s latest
decision to waste tens of millions of dollars on mere
aesthetics is heritage mania going into overdrive. It
isn’t enough that property rights are ruined by heritage
planning laws from bureaucrats stuck in a time warp; now the
Council is picking the pockets of ratepayers for the sake of
a sentimental officialdom.”
Mr. Cutting believes
that if Wellington is to grow as a truly vibrant
international city, then it needs to advance with the times.
“Throwing away ratepayer dollars on the preservation of
inferior quality buildings does not achieve this. It sucks
millions out of the local economy, acts as a doorstop
against the provision of modern facilities, and leaves us
with structures fixated in the
stone-age.”
“Elected officials do not need
historical classical buildings to run a city. A rented
private building might not stroke as many egos, but it will
keep the rain out during votes and cost a lot less money. It
seems that the desire of Wellington City councillors to work
in a building which compliments their disproportionate sense
of self-importance is of a greater concern than the money of
retired property owners struggling on limited incomes.”
“Maintaining the town hall will not just be a
major expense now, but also an enormous liability for future
ratepayers. Why doesn’t the Council see this situation as
an opportunity for civic growth and development? Wellington
desperately needs a convention centre which will attract
business and tourism to the central city. Let’s sell to a
private company and get them to pay for the demolition of an
unsafe building as well as the building of a convention
centre? That would truly be a win-win situation for
Wellington ratepayers!”
Ends
Reagan
Cutting
Affordable Wellington candidate, Northern
Ward
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