puff 620 Wheeler's Corner

Wheeler’s CornerÓ

Connecting Citizens Who Care

"Broadcast every Thursday at 11.45am on Access 999AM" Contact Peter at wheeler@inspire.net.nz

25 21st June 2007

This Week: 1. Vicious & vitriolic: 2. Bigger bill next year: 3. Note from Harvey: 4. Residents Association puts off AGM: 5. The Council and Poverty: 6: Election year bridge again: 7. My God:

1. After Wednesday’s council meeting a council watcher and Wheeler’s Corner reader sent the following email to councillors. It read as follows: "Hello Alison, Gordon and Jono. What an appalling display early in last night's council meeting [Wednesday 13th June 07] and its vicious and vitriolic contempt for the chair [Heather Tanguay] to which Jono aspires. Alison [Wall] properly moved the reports to which Peter [Claridge] observed a contradiction between two items. Alison then moved an amendment as provided for by SO 3.9.6 and Cr. Gordon Cruden seconded. The vote on the amendment was then put and carried. What followed I found appalling as both the conduct of you three plus your ignorance is better suited to Zimbabwe’. ‘John’. The behaviour John referred to was the aggressive and rude response to anything put forward by the Mayor Heather Tanguay or any member outside of the tight eight group of councillors. Cr. Wall, Naylor and Gordon Cruden have led this bitter and demeaning style of behaviour and have done so since the ousting of Mark Bell-Booth. It would seem that since her removal as Deputy Mayor Cr. Wall has failed to come to grips with the reality that the citizens wanted Heather Tanguay as Mayor and they wanted what she stood for. She received around nine thousand votes as against five thousand plus for Bell-Booth. Cr. Wall’s unaccepting attitude proves that tossing out a Mayor without tossing out his supporting councillors can be considered a waste of time.

2. The average citizen will pay $1480 in rates in the 2007/08 year. This is an overall 8.7 percent rate increase. This is around three times the inflation rate, by which this council has increased rates for each year of their term. Councillors acknowledged the increase faced by the commercial sector, which is a massive 14.8 percent plus. Cr Jim Jefferies said there was an "apparent shift of the rating from the residential sector to the commercial sector". This statement is untrue for they are simply now hitting all citizens be they commercial or householders. Finance strategy manager Steve Paterson said the increase was largely a result of increased land values, what he failed to say was that high value properties are paying a lower percentage increase. Every ratepayer pays a uniform annual general charge (UAGC) of $480, plus charges for recycling, water, and waste water this is the third increase it this area in as many years. Councillors have recommended the new council - to be elected in October this year - investigate changing the rating system. This is par-for-the-course of putting off today and leaving it for a new council to introduce the changes so urgently needed.

The Manawatu Standard published comments from local businesses. ‘A property developer and possible mayoral candidate Paul Barris says that Palmerston North could lose its competitive edge. He said his company is one of the most active in attracting tenants to Manawatu, where low operating costs are a key selling point. Forcing up business costs through rates creates a disincentive to move here. "It hurts us when we are attracting a tenant from out of town," He added, "If we were getting real good value for money relating to infrastructure, (the rates increase) wouldn't be an issue. "But the council these days makes it really hard to actually develop business in the city. "We don't think there's good value coming out of the council at the moment, It's probably a reflection that people around the council table talk about being caring, but they actually don't care. They don't have the foggiest idea how to be competitive or attractive for new businesses to come here."

Furniture Fair owner-operator Therese Regan said the council is not offering the services to back up the increase. She cited the change in car parking in Rangitikei Street as an example. "They're basically taking carparks in front of us." The increase would be transferred to customers. At the end of the day it's all going to cost and the retail price of everything is going to go up." GQ Menswear owner Ralph Bare agreed. He said the council needs to re-address what businesses get for their rates. "They want to get their act together about what they do for business people." My question is ‘to who can the rate paying citizens pass their massive increases on to? Will this council ever keep its word about rate increases?

3. Peter Here is one for an odd spot. God forbid the idea comes here. Harvey
Bin bag 'spy camera' to enforce refuse rules http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/06/16/nbins116.xml 17 Jun 2007 (UK) A council is to hide a camera in a bin bag to catch residents who do not follow new rules about putting out the rubbish. The tiny covert camera, which has cost Weymouth and Portland Council, Dorset, up to £10,000, will also help catch householders who put their rubbish out too early or too late. Thanks Harvey, who knows, anything is possible with our council…


4. The Residents Association WILL NOT now be meeting on Thursday the 21st of June as suggested in the last Wheeler’s Corner according to the Chairperson Neville Kenward. Pamela Frith the secretary informed me that it will now be held on Thursday the 26th of July 2007 and she apologised for the delay. So if you were planning to attend and give the association a boost then please note the new date: You can ring Neville on 355-0509 or Pamela on 357-5570 if you wish to know more…

5. There are some facts that are ignored for a variety of reasons: Poverty is one of them, politicians at both national and the local levels pretend that poverty does not exist. They say that more people are working than ever before etc. What they don’t say is that basic wage rates are set at below poverty levels. So it can be said that huge numbers of people being paid the minimum wage rates are getting paid below the poverty line. Now we are all aware that benefit rates are set below the minimum wage rates. This intentional creation of below poverty line payments ensures that the poor stay poor and that national super remains way below the 65% of average wages. In fact just saying this is a joke. Especially since they tax the pension. Palmerston North salaries are below average, so like it or not we have more real poverty here than in some other areas. Hence the reason why the ‘Warehouse’ turnover is so high and the reason our growth in the retail sector of late has been confined to ‘Two Dollar’ shops [Mini Warehouse model] Palmerston North has gone from one $2 dollar shop four years ago to seven or eight today. Couple this growth to the rapid expansion of ‘Loan Shark’ type credit shops, which may beat the two-dollar shop for growth. Both these activities clearly indicate the pressure being felt by our population. Pretending that it doesn’t exist won’t make it go away. By once again upping the fixed charges the council fails to recognise the plight of those on fixed or below the poverty line wages. No one expects the council to fix the below poverty wage issue, they offer a good model of paying councillors who don’t perform the same as those who do, imagine if a business did that! But what they can do is to understand and assist where they can. The fact is ‘The poorer our citizens become, the poorer our city becomes’. Anything we do to assist those who are forced below the poverty line is a small step in the right direction. Removing grants from the ‘Open Learning Centre’ and giving massive funding to that black hole known as Vision Manawatu’, is not a step in the right direction. We are in the process of giving businesses in Palmerston North a 25 million dollar boost in the form of the Square makeover. What may I ask are they giving in return, the minimum wage rate to their staff, [Warehouse, Macdonald’s, Starbucks, etc.] Councillors need to step back, take a deep breath, and recognise the real world in which they live. Stop dreaming of beating Auckland, Dunedin or Taihape for that matter, stop pretending being passionately in love with Palmerston North as Cr. Naylor does while not seeing its people, its needs or its direction. The first major step would be putting people first, before visions of grandeur way above our means. We must stop seeing our citizens as burdens [suggested by Cr. Wall] rather than people and treat them as such.

6. Its election year and once again the council have introduced the issue of the second bridge. It never ceases to amaze how many times council has introduced this issue during an election year. Two elections ago, Maxwell Line was to be the crossing point but that along with the results of a referendum approving that, was quickly ignored and the bridge was put on the back burner. Instead of a bridge we got Bell-Booths Folly a new Square. The government has already passed an act permitting a Road Tax, or a fuel tax for major new roading or bridging financed by local councils. We need to keep a close eye on this aspect of council behaviour.

7. My God…feels now is the time to stand up and be counted, and get rid of those councillors who talk about being team players and the importance of local democracy while doing every thing in their power to entrench the very opposite, such as the tight eight…

Peter J Wheeler

Wheeler@inspire.net.nz

I would like to thank those who have donated to Wheeler’s Corner, while I don’t know whom you are your assistance is humbly accepted and highly valued. Thank you. If any one else would like to donate the address is Wheeler’s Corner Access Triple Nine PO Box 4666 Palmerston North.
Catalogue
Last Gasp Cafe 29
Two songs in C. Long Black Jar and Colin both composed and performed by Peter Cleave

Last Gasp Cafe 28
Two songs composed and performed by Peter Cleave.Red Bus and Long Black Jar. Chords on Red Bus have a structure! Recorded on the Wetlands.

Last Gasp Cafe 27
Two songs performed and composed by Peter Cleave.You're Free, Red Bus. Recorded

on the Wetlands.
Last Gasp Cafe 26
Two songs composed by Peter Cleave. We got lucky, Idol. Recorded on the Wetlands.

Last Gasp Cafe 25
Two songs composed by Peter Cleave. Red Bus, Lady so Far. Recorded on the Wetlands.

Last Gasp Cafe 24
Two songs composed and performed by Peter Cleave. Idol and You're Free. Recorded at the Stomach, Palmerston North

Last Gasp Cafe 23
Two songs composed and performed by Peter Cleave. Long Black Jar, You're Free. Recorded at the Stomach, Palmerston North




Composed by Peter Cleave. Bass by Leo Cleave. Guitar and vocal by Peter Cleave. For Paula Miranda for her role as Mia Hill in Perfect Stranger

Sweet Killer Love

Sweet Killer Love

Come from the stars above

You smile

The devil is in your detail

The devil is in your detail
\
You walk into the market

Hand up on your hip

You look

The price is way too high

The price is way too high

Sweet Killer Love

Sweet Killer Love

Come from the stars above

You smile

The devil is in your detail

The devil is in your detail

You touch the base of your neck

You set your shades down on your nose

You look again

Who are you waiting for?
Who are you waiting for?

Sweet Killer Love

Sweet Killer Love

Come from the stars above

You smile

The devil is in your detail
The devil is in your detail

Moving right along now
Looking down the line

Who will take you home?

Who will take you home?

Sweet Killer Love

Come from the stars above

You smile

The devil is in your detail

The devil is in your detail


puff 532 Last Gasp Cafe 22

Concert for gold diggers, claim jumpers, future super stars, foxes and trout. 女子高生 Two songs composed and performed by Peter Cleave Concert for gold diggers, claim jumpers, future super stars, foxes and trout. 女子高生 Two songs composed and performed by Peter Cleave: Johnny Rockaway and Red Bus

Johnny Rockaway
For Johnny Rockaway
The gangsters came to play
To throw a rose
into the grave
of Johnny Rockaway
Brando on the screen
so high on his machine
waves a hand to all the fans
along the way

Wear your hair up high
Turn your collar to the sky
No surrender
No sweet goodbye

(guitar break)

For Johnny Rockaway
The gypsies came to pray
to light a bonfire
at midnight
for Johnny Rockaway
Bardot on a motorbike
The chrome so bright
so lost, so lost
in her shades

Wear your hair up high
Turn your collar to the sky
No surrender
No sweet goodbye

Johnny Rockaway
loved Jimmy Dean
the Dodge, the De Soto and the Galaxy
Go Johnny Go ,
Go, Go said Chuck,
the American King,
Johnny Rockaway





Red Bus
On the Red Bus
nothing seems to matter much
say what you like or what you don't
the bus runs on

she was a claim jumping, gold digging future super star
I sold cars on Saturdays

we met on the Red Bus
where nothing seems to matter much
say what you like or what you don't
the bus runs on
and on

she was a city girl and a foxy trout who left nothing out
I was a valley boy

we talked on the Red Bus
about anything that came to us
about life after life after life
and the bus ran on



trout 女子高生 red bus marlon brando bridgette bardot chuck berry gypsies cars gangsters

puff 531 Last Gasp Cafe 21 女子高生

Concert for the Batcave 女子高生Two songs composed and performed by Peter Cleave: Broken Road and We got lucky



Robin catwoman 女子高生 broken road ring moon cat cream bubbles bath
We got Lucky

It was all over before it had begun
it was good night nurse on the midnight shift
it was red, red wine, blue bubbles in the bath

we got lucky
there was a ring around the moon
we got lucky
and we slept till noon
gave cream to the cat
and that my friends was that

It had just begun when she said she'd won
so it was lights for the tree and wood for the fire
candles, blue bubbles in the bath

we got lucky
there was a ring around the moon
we got lucky
and we slept till noon
gave cream to the cat
and that my friends was that



puff 530 Last Gasp Cafe 20 女子高生

Concert for the Black Hawk 女子高生Two songs composed and performed by Peter Cleave: Johnny Rockaway and We got Lucky.



black hawk 女子高生 cat cream bath bubble red wine marlon brando gypsies gangsters pray hair high collar sky

puff 529 Last Gasp Cafe 19

Concert for Spiderman 女子高生 Two songs composed and performed by Peter Cleave: Long Black Jar and Johnny Rockaway



Spiderman 女子高生 long black jar picture wall hall no surrender sweet goodbye

Long Black Jar

Saw your picture on the wall
thought I heard you in the hall
put flowers in a long black jar

Now I'm playing such a sad guitar
and I'm wondering where we are
o darling talk to me

talk to me about the way things used to be
don't talk about setting me free

Thought I heard you in the driveway
Thought I felt you behind me
but there's only one person here
puff 514 Last Gasp Cafe 18
Two songs in new keys. Another concert for Mary J Blige. Long Black Jar and Idol. Both songs written and composed by Peter Cleave




idol maryjblige peter cleave last gasp cafe long black jar ghosts
Idol
It was just a wish
From high on a wish list
but it had to be you
cos you are so fine

And the idol smiles
there is a door in the wall
the traffic stops
the rain begins to fall

Latrice and Labelle
are lost in LA
But they find a sign
meant for you and me

And the idol smiles
look out the window in the wall
The traffic stops
the rain begins to fall

Way on down the hall
Uncle Phil is asleep
You whisper to me
about Dragon Ball Zee

And the Idol smiles
it is written on the wall
the traffic stops
the rain begins to fall

puff 470 Last Gasp Cafe 17
On the deck...Idol and Broken Road for the Goo Goo Dolls...concert by Peter Cleave

puffshop
女子高生
Idol
It was just a wish
From high on a wish list
but it had to be you
cos you are so fine

And the idol smiles
there is a door in the wall
the traffic stops
the rain begins to fall

Latrice and Labelle
are lost in LA
But they find a sign
meant for you and me

And the idol smiles
look out the window in the wall
The traffic stops
the rain begins to fall

Way on down the hall
Uncle Phil is asleep
You whisper to me
about Dragon Ball Zee

And the Idol smiles
it is written on the wall
the traffic stops
the rain begins to fall

Last Gasp Cafe 16 Two songs for Green Day



Last Gasp Cafe 15 女子高生
Concert for Donnie Darko. Long Black Jar and You're Free composed and performed by Peter Cleave
long black jar you're free ana carolina reston green day

puff 291 Last Gasp Cafe 12 Will there be Fox in the Metaverse


Will there be Cher in the Metaverse? Roaches? Peter?

puff 290 Last Gasp Cafe 11 Two songs for the Astrochick



Puff 285 Last Gasp Cafe 10- Upstairs Studio Concert
Long Black Jar
Colin


Last Gasp Cafe 9
A concert for the Metaverse



puff 281 Last Gasp Cafe 8 A two song concert for Tyra Banks


puff 265 Last Gasp Cafe 5
A concert for Mary J Blige by Peter Cleave featuring songs dedicated to Ana Carolina Reston and Daniela Cicarelli


puff 261 Last Gasp Cafe No 3 For Peter Wheeler
Featuring Colin, To see you is to love you, Nadine...