Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Mayor Cull’s ratepayer-funded generosity is mad
22 AUGUST 2019
The excuses about a reportedly unwanted $57,000 payrise for
Dunedin City Council CEO Sue Bidrose are laughable, says the
New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.
Taxpayers' Union Executive Director Jordan Williams says, “Mayor Cull offered the CEO a massive ratepayer-funded pay hike, she said she didn’t want it, but he gave her the money anyway. This is not virtuous; it’s financial madness.”
“Clearly, it’s easy to be generous with other people’s money. But Dunedin residents struggling under rates bills, or waiting on basic infrastructure maintenance, will be wishing the Mayor had directed his generosity somewhere more important.”
“It’s not just the Mayor who looks bad here. The CEO’s insistence that she can’t turn down a payrise seems doesn't hold water. She could easily return the increased amount to the Council’s consolidated funds. If anyone has the authority to allow this it’s her.”
"Even for Dunedin City Council, saying 'I can't turn down a payrise' is an insulting 'stuff you' to local ratepayers."
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