I was chairman of the project committee that introduced micro filtration of Tauranga's water supply, upgraded the wastewater system continuously and the stormwater system.

These works cost ratepayers dearly and the city needed more spent, but the social needs/wants overrode infrastructure requirements. Tauranga enjoys one of the best water systems in New Zealand notwithstanding.

Now Minister Mahuta, ably assisted by former Mayor Stuart Crosby, proposes to steal these assets from ratepayers by borrowing against those assets to pay a trifling amount of their worth to council.

This means ratepayers will pay twice for their investment. Plus they'll subsidise, via increased charges for the water they use, all of those other water users elsewhere in New Zealand where water has not been a priority.

This is socialism bordering on communism.

The effects will be huge and I predict a rort exceeding those of Max Bradford's electricity reforms, where we were promised cheaper power just to get public acceptance.

Tauranga should see this grand theft for what it is.

Bill Faulkner, Tauranga.