Economically illiterate council must not force $55 million hotel cost onto ratepayers

The Taxpayers’ Union is slamming a proposal by Whanganui District Council to build a $55 million four-star hotel and carpark.

Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said:

“It is unbelievable that while ratepayers are staring down the barrel of a 10.6% rates hike the council wants to throw ratepayer money down the drain on a vanity project.

“This is exactly the kind of waste and economically illiterate extravagance that got councils into the mess of needing double-digit rate hikes in the first place.

“The Mayor claims that there is strong case for the hotel, but if that’s really true then there will be plenty of private developers who will be willing to fund it. The council need not be involved.