Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby is looking for a new car to replace his Honda Accord after electing to pay for his own vehicle to offset his accepted $4300 pay rise.
Stuart says the decision to pay for his own car will save the council between $10,000 to $15,000 a year.
It was part of the salary issue decided upon by city councillors at Monday's council meeting.
Stuart is now looking for a replacement for the mayoral Honda, which has 100,000km on the clock and is due for replacement under council policy.
The current cost of providing a mayoral vehicle is about $43,000, excluding GST. The annual running cost for the 2011/12 financial year was $17,915, which included $6780 for depreciation and $4780 Fringe Benefit Tax.
'I'm just going to buy my own little one,” says Stuart.
As yet he has no idea what he will be buying.
'That's something I will have to discuss with my wife.”
Stuart has a policy of accepting one pay increase during a council term and turning one down. His salary will now be $136,700.
'The car itself was coming up for renewal so I thought now was the time to accept it,” says Stuart.
The cost of the mayoral car came out of his salary.
By providing his own vehicle and paying mileage, Stuart's vehicle costs to the council are expected to be reduced to about $3,500 a year.
Tauranga City Councillors are paid out of a $758,828 pool, which remains the same as last year.
Under that structure deputy mayor David Stewart's salary is $84,232.66, a single committee chairman receives $81,226.15 and eight councillors are paid $74,171.15.
The Remuneration Authority sets councillor and mayoral salaries by determining points based on the territorial authorities' Population, Expenses, and Assets.
The result was then increased by 1.5 per cent by the Remuneration Authority to reflect general wage growth and adverse economic conditions.
This is done because the Remuneration Authority has not yet determined its pay line for 2012 and cannot do so until July/August.
Tauranga City Council hires cars for special occasions.
36 comments
So much for so little?
Posted on 22-05-2012 18:03 | By YOGI
I would say that the salaries are all so far away for what they should be, with WBOPDC beign around $25,000 per Councilor, this lot at TCC are for sure getting way to many picnic baskets out of this then the rest of us get the bills ... rates!
See TCAL article for the facts!
Posted on 22-05-2012 18:11 | By YOGI
Looks like to me that another fairy tail story about how the ratepayer is gunna take another sucker punch, one of thise sneeky wee upper cuts that sends the ratepayer cheque reeling again into orbit. I think he should be made to get on his bike and stay there.
looks like a money go round
Posted on 22-05-2012 20:05 | By RORTSCAM
Who has done this NOVEL bit of analysis, it looks like a handout for the punters from the much maligned propaganda section of Council.How about a proper cash summary of how it all pans out because as I see it TCC should be saving the upfront car purchase cost and interest on that amount the depreciation fringe benefit tax (?) and running costs which in fact totals around $19000.In return TCC will now pay the mayor Mr CROSBY mileage for around 20000km say $2000 and as it states the only saving to TCC is $3500 the suggestion is that the difference say $13500 will be paid to Mr. Crosby as additional salary.How the hell does this work and what real saving is there here.??
THESE NUMBERS DON'T ADD UP?
Posted on 22-05-2012 21:22 | By TERMITE
Looks to me that the $30,000 pay rise would pay for the vehicle in 18 months. the savings don't seem to be tallying up with the rest of the numbers.
Replacement council policy
Posted on 23-05-2012 06:12 | By SpeakUp
That policy has to be replaced, not the car. Modern cars do easily 2-300,000 Ks without major input. While anyone paying for their OWN car might decide to 'rotate' earlier, a public servant should be frugal, no, needs to be frugal. Especially while pulling obscene salaries. -Citizen Monitoring Council-
CHEQUERED FLAG PART 1
Posted on 23-05-2012 07:22 | By Scambuster
Always thought Stuart Crosby a 'petrol person. drove a big black SS HOLDEN COMMMODORE so I don't know where the Honda fits into the TCC equation.The small car will no doubt be a second car for the Missus probably a VW GTI R GOLF, AUDI TT or the likes.I agree with the other bloggers Council has to provide a full financial precis of the cost options to show what the savings or otherwise might be TCC ie. who is paying the Mayor or who what ? I don't get a warm fuzzy feeling from what I see so far.
Another smokescreen!
Posted on 23-05-2012 08:02 | By monty111
Big Deal Stuart. You can't fool the ratepayers though. How about halving your salary and using the bus service.
A HONDA NO LESS
Posted on 23-05-2012 08:30 | By PLONKER
What happened to the Damilar, and of course the mandatory concrete mixer behind it. Oh thats right there is no building work in Tauranga at present. I agree Monty would look a bit better if he used the bus as it is already there, that of course would mean that there would be no mileage either. Of course there are so many vehicles at Council these days it would be the biggest car lot in the district ... we pay for it all.
Post a comment's strange inconsistencies
Posted on 23-05-2012 09:51 | By Phailed
It's interesting how a number of really negative commenters here seem to support the accountant who pleaded guilty to a number of charges. Just read the TCAL misleading advert story and you'll see what I mean. But when the figures stack up and the Mayor in effect reduced his pay package, they still moan. Perhaps they could get their facts right about his car etc for a start. No fan of the council, but credit is due for this and such behaviour should be rewarded not criticised.
Funny...
Posted on 23-05-2012 17:32 | By Turk4
Is a little funny reading all these (And other) comments - about how all the councilors should take a pay cut. From these readings there should be an influx of potential candidates at the next election promising to do the job for half of the current pay !!?? Or are they just all talk....?
.
Posted on 24-05-2012 00:50 | By traceybjammet
i must say in all fairness in a very small country with low wages why is a Mayor earning this much money???? Keeping in mind there is another mayor in Rotorua, in Hamilton and so on not to mention all the other councillers etc. As a dinky little country do we need all this extrta cost and red tape?? or does it just make us feel special to have our own mayor??
.
Posted on 24-05-2012 01:02 | By traceybjammet
i am a bit confused about the 43k figure If they are leasing to buy cars after tax as one would presume then with depreciation tax credits etc surely about 25K should cover it??
@ TRACEYBJAMJET
Posted on 24-05-2012 10:51 | By PLONKER
"Earning" is not really the right word my dear, I would think that "Paid" is far more appropriate. The implications from saying "earning" almost means that the payments are for something useful to the payers that has been done that is of benefit somehow, of course that is very hard to see or find for many a year.
NB:
Posted on 24-05-2012 10:54 | By SpeakUp
Fat cats' salaries: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10794629 And now go back to work.
NB2:
Posted on 24-05-2012 10:57 | By SpeakUp
Average Hourly Earnings Public sector $34.76 Private sector $27.18
Has to be an angle to this.
Posted on 24-05-2012 15:16 | By Scambuster
No one is reducing their Mayoral pay packet here, just reconfiguring the amount of it.God knows who if anyone will benefit and if we cannot get all the actual $ figures we have no way of knowing.One thing is absolutely certain it will not benefit TCC Ratepayers.
.
Posted on 24-05-2012 20:57 | By Gary gc
Can't win huh Stu. Wake us people and come out of your holes. He is saving you money by the move.
GARY GC
Posted on 25-05-2012 12:11 | By YOGI
Sorry Gary no truth to that, there are other motives afoot here, not as simple as you think, Mayor Crosby is doing this becasue he has now realised that it is the best option for himself going forward. That does not mean it is good to ratepayers. TCC will pay him more and of course mileage will be claimed in a feverish manner to so I can not see that the bottom line will be better for ratepayers.
MAYEB ANOTHER REASON?
Posted on 25-05-2012 17:06 | By PLONKER
An expectation of a change of occupation perhaps, then not allowed to keep the car after that.
Lots of numbers, BUT
Posted on 25-05-2012 21:09 | By waiknot
"The cost of the mayoral car came out of his salary" no figure provided, I take it the mayor will receive an undisclosed (at least in this article) cash increase as well as the pay increase to offset the lose of the car??? The rate payers may benifit from this, but some how I don;t see that being the motivating factor here. i think it just suits Stuart to drive his own car of choice.
POLITICAL BULLDUST 4 PUBLIC CONSUMPTION
Posted on 27-05-2012 10:29 | By Insider
Until the full $figures are provided for analysis this is just "goofing" off territory>Provide the public with the full details and calculations immediately.
SELFLESS I AM SURE?
Posted on 27-05-2012 13:45 | By TERMITE
There are enough figures there to see though what the game is, simply it is a question of "Do I take the money or the car?" (Bit like "it's in the bag) the decision is "I WANT THE CASH". The estimated cost to ratepayers is the same either way (on the face of it), but of course Crosby will be: - claiming mileage (more cost to ratepayers) and will not have to pay FBT (Windfall to Crosby), at the end of it all the easiest way to understand this is that it is just like the Dire Strraits song says ...land claims "Money for nothing and .... for free"!
SHUFFLING CHAIRS AROUND
Posted on 28-05-2012 11:42 | By PLONKER
On the deck of the Titanic, what ever pretty little label you give it the result is the same.
i LIKE THAT CONCEPT
Posted on 29-05-2012 00:23 | By YOGI
The money or the bag .... about sums it up, a similar view is "TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN". All seems appropriate considering the TCC debt at the moment and the foreseeable future.
TRUTH vs REALITY
Posted on 29-05-2012 20:12 | By EYESPY
Still waiting for the figures what's wrong the cat gotcha tongues STU' and TCC Wombles.Not surprising really ratepayers always get the verbal crap but never the written specifics. Same as the 2011 rate reductions just another fairy tale it seems.Put up or shut up .
FUDGED v's SLUGGED
Posted on 30-05-2012 03:24 | By TERMITE
That is more like what is really going on here, EYESPY, you are never in your wildest dreams going to get the real figires out of them. If you did ever see anything close to the truth you would not realise that it was all just a sham with intent!
Another week goes by...
Posted on 30-05-2012 20:54 | By RORTSCAM
Still haven't seen any figures on what is proposed with car swaps so guess the conclusion this is blatant political electioneering and a bit of puffery must be correct.Mayor Crosby and TCC are always away with the fairies on financial matters anyway.
CAR DOES GO ...
Posted on 31-05-2012 15:38 | By PLONKER
But the bills for ratepayers will still roll in ever more, reading it all shows that in fact more bills will appear and add to more than before. That of course is why the change has happened, like anyone else would haev made that "MOTIVATED" decision a decade ago!
IT SAYS PAY SWAP
Posted on 31-05-2012 17:50 | By PLONKER
Come on people there is no saving for ratepayers in that. All that is happening here is that TCC pays more money to Crosby and has less bills to pay, but bet you the bills will be less of course.
COME ON STU!
Posted on 01-06-2012 03:20 | By YOGI
You usually have all the answers for public digestion via the PR ratepayer clobbering machine, where are the answers now?
EASY ANSWER REALLY
Posted on 01-06-2012 13:46 | By YOGI
I want more money ... more more more ...
UPSIDE DOWN EX POLITICANS
Posted on 01-06-2012 17:38 | By PLONKER
I see ex Cr Baker who existed under rather a messy cloud I might add left his bright ideas at home when let out. Saying that $490k saving from dropping 35 of the 52 TCC cars, you are a couple of years to late to think of that mate!
CHAIN OF COMMAND
Posted on 02-06-2012 22:55 | By YOGI
Has been broken for Mike and he has been away from the "undue influence" and free programming instilled into the faithful Councillors for a couple of years ... that or he made a mistake and forgot to say "NOT to sell the cars ..." at the start of the sentance.
Tell us when
Posted on 06-06-2012 13:57 | By tibs
Please tell us when Stuart gets his little one. Too many obscure figures to make much sense of potential savings re the car and his salary. And, in a three year term he takes one rise and declines another. What about the third, possibly accepted at the start of a term, being a leftover from the previous terms when he accepted the last one?
MORE BILLS FOR TCC IN THIS
Posted on 13-06-2012 15:44 | By PLONKER
Same money out but TCC will also 'reimburse' for mileage. Looks like Mayor Crosby has learnt a few tricks from Deputy Dave "yes-man" Stewart!
THE MONEY OF THE BAG ...
Posted on 21-06-2012 00:12 | By PLONKER
Well he already knows it is a actually a car, but the money is sooooo good he takes the money every time.
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