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Tauranga residents will pay an average of $5.38 extra per week in rates from July. Photo: Tauranga City Council via LDR
After three years of being run by commissioners, Tauranga is set to return to local democracy with July elections.
But not until after the commissioners have signed off on the city's 10-year long-term plan and budget which is expected to be done by April.
This is causing consternation among those who believe vital decisions for the country's fifth-biggest city ought to be made by a democratically elected council.
So what does the path forward look like for Tauranga?
Kathryn speaks to three Tauranga residents, all with differing views on how to get the city to thrive.
They are: Matt Cowley, chief executive of the Tauranga Business Chamber, Paora Stanley, who is chief executive of iwi Ngai Te Rangi and Greg Brownless, a former mayor and long-time Tauranga city councillor.