Hey big spender / DCC big money woes / "Only"

I'd have thought of major belt-tightening in the circs. Just as well I never went into local body politics eh. The Octagon has managed just fine all these years (let's not think about the large black penis, temporary thank goodness, that was there for some important rugby-related thing, I've forgotten what) so postponing wouldn't hurt. Sure, they'll say "Only $..." because DCC's wanna-haves are always Only, but if you put all the Onlies together you get Sum Of Significance.

https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/four-selected-octagon-public-artwork

Monday, 2 March 2020

1.32 pm

DCC companies lose $882k and debt climbs

 Debt across DCC has climbed from $647 million at the end of 2018 to $739 million at the end of last year.

https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/dcc-companies-lose-882k-and-debt-climbs 

 

Monday, 2 March 2020

Framing of spending criticised

By Hamish MacLean

Lee Vandervis

.....Cr Lee Vandervis took issue with the council’s message that an overall rates increase of 6.5% was required "in order to maintain levels of service".
He pointed to a $4,833,000 increase in staff spending — 56% of the council’s budgeted increase in spending — and asked, with inflation about 2%, whether it would be more appropriate to say "to enable these very significant staff increases" in the public consultation document.....

....On February 13, the Otago Daily Times asked the council 12 questions relating to the draft budget, the increase in spending, and the addition of 27 full-time equivalent staff.

Those questions remain unanswered.