Stadium: ORC repayments

### ODT Online Sun, 13 Oct 2013
ORC’s share of stadium almost paid
By Dan Hutchinson
The Otago Regional Council is on track to repay its share of the Forsyth Barr Stadium construction costs in less than half the time it originally expected.
The council committed $37.5 million towards the stadium, some of the funds coming from special Port Otago dividends and the rest from residents paying targeted rates from July 1, 2009.

● ORC takes $2.8 million a year from ratepayers for the stadium — that equates to $32 on the rates bill for an average-price Dunedin property ($270,000).
● DCC ratepayers will be paying stadium rates for about another 18 years.

Yesterday Mr Scott confirmed that the next financial year would be the last that people would have to pay the full stadium rate, with only $1 million left to pay in the 2015-16 year. He said the council thought at one stage it could make next year the last year for payments but a slight upward shift in interest rates delayed that.
Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

Pressuring Cull and his GD Party . . .

Full council voting figures here (via DCC website)

The local newspaper styles Cull’s return as mayor as a “crushing victory”.
This is the mayor who in the immediate past term continued to spend ratepayer dollars —sinking the council deeper in debt, failing to turn the city’s fortunes around. Cull led a council without ability to look rationally, prudently and conservatively at city finances. Lots of you brought him back. Cull fails to be transparent, lacks accountability, and often appears weak in adversity. If he can muster his Greater Dunedin ‘Party’ votes, expect more of same —however, with the return of Cr Lee Vandervis and timely arrival of new councillors Hilary Calvert and Doug Hall, Liability Cull better keep his helmet on.

Crs Hilary Calvert, Doug Hall, Lee Vandervis

—

ODT: Figures reveal Cull’s crushing victory
Dunedin mayor Dave Cull thrashed his nearest challenger by 12,000 votes, voting figures reveal. Because of the STV system, Dunedin’s voting figures are released later than other other authorities so the margin of Mr Cull’s victory was not immediately apparent. The figures now released show he polled 18,446 votes while his nearest challenger Hilary Calvert could manage only 6429. High-profile councillor Lee Vandervis was third with 5841 votes. Among the other challengers Andrew Whiley polled 2946 votes, Aaron Hawkins 2900, Pete George 779, Olivier Lequex 503 and Kevin Dwyer 217. Read more + Video

ODT: Voters endorse Southern mayors
Southern mayors have been told to keep up the good work by voters who have returned incumbents to office across much of the lower South Island.
In Dunedin, Mayor Dave Cull fended off a challenge from eight rivals, led by former Act New Zealand MP Hilary Calvert and followed by incumbent Dunedin city councillor Lee Vandervis. Mr Cull told the Otago Daily Times it was “really gratifying to get the confidence of the community reinforced”. Read more

—

Posted by Elizabeth Kerr

*Image: Dave Cull, detail [ODT files]