The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on Whanganui District Council to stop gambling with ratepayers’ money after a $14.06 million write-off in its pilot academy more than doubled its annual deficit to $25.1 million, equivalent to $1,222 per household.
Taxpayers’ Union spokesman James Ross said:
“The mayor says ‘where you get risk, you get reward’. With this write-off worth 3,641 households’ entire annual rates bills, ratepayers have certainly got the risk. Where’s the reward?”
“Promising another review to gather dust in a drawer is pointless if the council doesn’t learn the obvious lesson. Council tried and failed to play venture capitalist with other people’s money, writing off $14 million just months after spending another $3.35 million for a new taxiway from the flight school hangar.”
“This comes from the same council that only two years ago wanted to build a $55 million 4-star hotel. Council needs to get back to focusing on bins and parks, not barrel rolls and pillow chocolates.”
Whanganui ratepayers pay for Council’s $14 million crash landing
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