The city of Auckland groans under a Mayor with an ego is so vast it can be seen from Mars with the naked eye and with integrity so infinitesimal it eludes the microscope. Mr Brown's ego seduces him into the "build it and they will come" theory of economic development. His vaunting self-regard drives him to ride roughshod over councillors. They find the council being "committed" to all kinds of spending promises via the newspaper, as Mayor Brown bestows the beneficence of his "leadership" upon them. Not apparently a hint of consultation, debate, examination, or scrutiny by colleagues before the le grande announcement. Not a vote in sight. This from the NZ Herald:
Auckland Mayor Len Brown is offering $250 million of the city's money to kick-start the $2.86 billion underground rail project before the Government starts contributing. He has told Prime Minister John Key his council will pay for an "early works" programme from next year to get the project out of its starting blocks at Britomart and under much of Albert St. The council, through Auckland Transport, has already spent more than $100 million on property purchases and other route preparation work, and has included $193 million for the "transformational" project in its draft budget for 2014-15.So, the Council has budgeted $300 million for the rail project next year. It is "paid" for, by budget resolutions and council votes, borrowing, and ultimately by rates. The extra, out-of-the-hat extra $250 million--where is that coming from? No-one knows. At least no-one in the Council. It comes, dear ratepayers, from the weeping carbuncles encrusted on the Mayor's vaunting ego.
But North Shore councillor George Wood is aghast that Mr Brown should be making such a sweeping offer to the Government without having reached an agreed formula for paying Auckland's half share of the rail project. "If you're going to bulldoze it, and say we're going to do it, I don't think it's good budgeting and it's not prudent stewardship of the funds of Auckland Council," Mr Wood told the Herald yesterday.
We doubt not that this fiscal madness by the March Hare Mayor is driven primarily by his craving for image. He and his spin meisters--which are legion, at the ratepayers expense--believe in the dominating power of such ephemeral realities as "perception", "branding", and "positioning"--and all the rest of that PR horse manure. Create an image and reality (that is, the ratepayers wallets) will worshipfully conform. At present Mr Brown's personal image is in the sewage system, having been caught out taking secret favours from a large casino whilst crucial votes effecting the financial performance of said casino were being taken. The best way forward, the spinmeisters intone, is to conjure the "grand vision" so that people stop looking at the actual Mr Brown and his actions, but get swept along with the excitement of what Mr Brown's "vision" and what he wants to do to satiate the cravings of his ego.
Meanwhile the image lusted after will cost Aucklanders (and eventually all taxpayers) billions. Where is the money coming from? Who knows. Who cares. Build it and the money will come. The future of our grandchildren in this city is being being made the playtoy of a egomaniac.
All of the above is written without us having a firm view, one way or the other, on the proposed new rail projects in Auckland city. That is not the point. We are willing to go along for the ride provided the project is paid for in a prudent manner. The best way to achieve this is to have governance by disciplined process. The budget process is the public discipline under which this is supposed to occur. That requires, in the end, for the Mayor to be subject to his council. That process requires testing, examination, and scrutiny. In the end, the ratepayers own the budget and have to pay up. It has political ramifications and personal consequences for us all.
Mr Brown professes to love the city. He says, in fact, that his love for the city has "forced" him to continue in office, when men of more integrity and regard for Auckland would have resigned a long time ago. We suspect that the Mayor regards this city as one would regard a horsetrail. Something to be ridden roughshod over for personal gratification.
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