Straight from city council A personal view, by Councillor Steve Morris

I had a good feeling when paying our rates invoice for the first time. A sense of pride that we were financially contributing to the running of our community. Actually, we'd been paying rates through our weekly rent up until then, but this felt different. By the time the second invoice arrived, the novelty had worn off!

Those first years of paying a mortgage are the most difficult; 30 years ahead of us with a 9.75 per cent interest rate while the market was going backwards; a real worry. Soon, my wife stopped work to have our first baby and our income dropped. The baby was welcome news, but the council of the day proposing a 10 per cent rates increase was not.

While chairing the Papamoa Progressive Association, I met many on fixed-incomes. If you're on a pension, every dollar Council takes above inflation means sacrificing something else. Record low interest rates don't provide retirees with as much additional income these days either.

Because Council's income is mostly derived from a blunt property tax, regardless of ratepayer's income, it's especially important to provide stability so people can budget. Often those around Council circles talk about ‘vision', building ‘iconic' facilities and being ‘courageous enough' to increase rates significantly but I'd observe that such calls are usually made by the ‘well-off.'

If everyone keeps their campaign promises, as I'm sure they will, average residential rates will be capped at no more than two per cent above inflation. It may pass by a slim margin but pass it must.