Super City? Yeah right

Dear Editor, Garry Law is right to be concerned about the recent proposals to amalgamate Auckland's councils into a 'super city' NZ Herald 24 august 2006). The merger contention was forced on us in 1989 amid promises of cost savings and efficiencies. History shows us that these undertakings were exaggerated. Rates have risen sharply since amalgamation city administrations have ballooned and democratic processes constrained.

There does need to be greater attention to solving regional difficulties but each community has different goals and priorities. There is ample evidence that stronger areas subsume smaller communities' needs in favour of their own. Less democracy will not provide better democracy or lower rates, quite the opposite.

The answer lies not in the creation of a ponderous monolith or expensive consultants with an "I know best" attitude. It lies in enhanced democratic processes and in ratepayers endorsing clearly stated objectives for their communities.