Community Survey 2024

1. Democracy *

Elections for a mayor and 9 Tauranga City Councillors are scheduled for 20 July 2024. Do you want:

The mayor and councillors elected in July 2024 to make all key decisions from now on, once they take office and properly consider them.

Commissioners to lock in decisions before they finish.

2. Long Term Plan (LTP) *

Tauranga City Council is planning to sign off its 10-year plan without re-consulting, allowing Commissioners to sign contracts for key projects. It consulted on a $3.4 billion draft plan, but has now added waters infrastructure to make it a $5.6 billion plan. Rates will now increase by 156% over the decade (compared to 51% in the consultation document) and debt will triple to $3 billion. Should the revised LTP should be subject to new consultation?

Yes

No

3. Debt *

TCC has added the full costs of water, sewerage and stormwater into its 2024 Long Term Plan, so ratepayer debt is now projected to triple to $3 billion by 2034. Tauranga is already one of the most indebted cities in New Zealand, and this would take debt from about $16,000 per ratepayer to an estimated $43,000 per ratepayer by 2034. Do you:

Support these high levels of debt.

Prefer the Council cuts back on some projects to keep debt down.

4. City Centre Projects *

TCC is proposing to spend over $400 million on its Te Manawataki o Te Papa and waterfront projects, with other city centre projects also proceeding. Operating costs for just the civic centre are estimated at $26+ million per year (average $425 per ratepayer). Do you support:

Full $400m+ civic centre and waterfront development.

Cheaper option, with scaled back project and lower operating costs.

Neither

5. Transport *

This is the number 1 issue for Tauranga residents and congestion is worsening by the year. TCC proposes a road pricing scheme (called SmartTrip) to reduce congestion, car usage, and carbon emissions. It would charge people to drive on state highways (SH2, SH29, SH29A) and other key roads (Hairini causeway, Otumoetai causeway), replacing existing road tolls and helping to pay for some of the $billions of unfunded transport projects in Tauranga's "Transport System Plan". Proposed peak-time charges are $2 access fee + 15c per km. An 18km return trip from Sandhurst Dr to CBD would be about $6.70 per day = $33.50 per working week = more than $1500 per year. Do you support TCC’s proposed Smart Trip road pricing scheme to help fund the our transport network and make travel quicker, but add around $7 per day for a typical return trip at peak times?

Yes

No

6. Funding Growth *

Tauranga's existing ratepayers partially fund the infrastructure to enable housing for the fast-growing numbers of new arrivals to the city. Some of this debt will be "off the books” (IFF), as TCC will otherwise reach its debt limit by the end of this decade. All debt regardless of the label will be paid by the ratepayer. Do you support:

Ongoing ratepayer funding of growth, via rates and ‘off the books’ IFF levies.

Government, developers &/or new residents to pay for all growth infrastructure.

7. Domain Stadium *

TCC wants to develop a new stadium on Tauranga Domain later this decade, relocating the athletics track and many of the sports clubs. The estimated capital costs are $81m for stage 1 and $260m-$315m for the total project, plus relocation costs. Annual cost to ratepayers is projected to be $7m for stage 1 only and $16m for the complete stadium. Do you support:

Only Stage 1 $81 million (improvements to Tauranga Domain including new east stand), with staged relocation of users and stage 2 possible in future decades.

Single stage $260-315 million (completed new Domain Stadium), with current club users relocated.

I do not support the proposed Tauranga Domain Stadium.

8. Council Fees & User Charges *

TCC wants to significantly increase the fees for sports clubs who have clubs on council land, use council land and for users of council facilities. Do you support residents paying much higher user charges (on top of rates) for the use of sports fields, boat ramps and other council facilities?

Yes

No

9. Public Swimming Pools *

Memorial Pool and Otumoetai Pool have served their local schools and communities for over 50 years. TCC has decided to shut Otumoetai Pool within the next 5 years, so it can cut costs and spend $122.5 million on a new Memorial Park Aquatic Centre. It wants Otumoetai schools and other Otumoetai pool users to travel to Memorial Pool. Do you support TCC's plan to close Otumoetai Pool to allow the $123 million upgrade of Memorial Pool?

Yes

No

10. Sulphur Point Marine Park *

TCC was refused permission by the Minister of Conservation to develop part of Sulphur Point waterfront reserve into a marine research facility, but a loophole allowed the council to reclassify 7000m2 of land from “recreation reserve” to “local purpose (marine research and education facility) reserve”. A tender occurred last year and TCC is now negotiating in private with the sole tenderer. Locals are demanding more transparency and an open public discussion before this land is permanently developed and lost as a public reserve. Do you support more transparency and putting the proposed development on hold until an elected council makes the final decision?

Yes

No