Call to Miccio to withdraw amalgamation petition

October 10th, 2010
[Press release]

'Hands off Tasman' spokesman Paul Searancke is asking newly elected Nelson Mayor Aldo Miccio to withdraw his amalgamation petition.

"One of his key election promises was that 'An Aldo Miccio-led Council will eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy, dithering and decisiveness'."

"The lack of decision-making within the Nelson Council over the past three years is not a reason to amalgamate Tasman District and Nelson City councils. As supposed proof of the need for amalgamation Mr Miccio has identified the lack of progress on both the improvements to the state highway through the Whangamoas and the Southern Link. He should be explaining to the people of Nelson why decisions his Council is solely responsible for have not been made and through that inaction, could lose all the national subsidies available to them through Central Government.

"This lack of progress is at odds with the progress the Tasman District Council has made on all of its major roading initiatives such as the Ruby Bay bypass due to open later this month.

"Surely he is not asking the Tasman ratepayers to accept a loss of representation and the significant cost of amalgamation because the Council, on which he sat for the last three years and is now Mayor of, cannot make a decision.

"If Tasman (and Marlborough for that matter) can progress matters and make decisions without amalgamation, then surely an Aldo Miccio-led Council should be able to - or is he not confident enough in his leadership abilities to do it without us?"

[Editor's note: For background information, see this news item and our discussion forum]

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