Thank goodness Waitematā voters are lucky enough to have Mike Lee standing for our local area.
In this latest three-year electoral term, Mike has yet again proven why he is such a valuable, indeed essential, personality in our locale.
A voice for common sense and reason, both capable and willing to speak the truth to power, and an ‘influencer’ for all that is good.
Some of the simply dumbest council decisions of recent years have been carried through by this left leaning council (and that is saying something given we barely survived the ‘Goff tax and waste years’).
The result — a hollowed-out CBD, deliberately congested roads, no more cyclists than were ever going to cycle and hundreds of millions of dollars wasted.
Just look at K’ Road, Great North Road, Meola Road and Pt Chevalier Road – all ruined at huge expense to the permanently financially abused ratepayer!
Mike always gets it right for his ward – how? It’s simple really — Mike listens to those who elected him. A lesson here for those who ‘crossed the floor’ at the last election.
Objecting to the sale of the Auckland family silver (read: Auckland International Airport Shares), attempting to stop the madness that is the decision to destroy the only viable downtown car park (with its access to Waiheke Islanders, tourists and shoppers) and trying, but ultimately failing to control the bizarre bureaucracy that is Auckland Transport and its unsettlingly stupid, ideologically driven ‘managers’.
These same managers had in Mike Lee an AT board member who called them to task for their ubiquitous poor vision, planning, unrestrained spending and their determined (but ultimately successful) ‘war on the CBD’. The latter efforts by Mike resulted in the simply wrong decision by the Mayor to remove him from the Board of AT and replace Mike with the most ardent ideolog but least well-informed cyclist – Councillor Darby (thank goodness that virulent plague has been shown the door!).
The destruction of our roads, parking and the CBD can be assigned to both that poor decision and the continued appointment (on $600,000 plus per annum) of Dean Kimpton – a ‘manager’ who cannot control his own organisation, their spending and uncontrolled and always excessive over-engineered ‘solutions’. As a leader he provides little if any value to Auckland.
Having the needs and desires of his constituents always at the forefront of his actions and plans is why I changed my views of Mike (formed originally in the days of the ARC) into one of quiet admiration and now open support. We need Mike elected again in 2025 – go to it Waitematā ward electors. Mike is always there for us. Vote accordingly.
Roger Hawkins, Herne Bay
