Pleas to cut spending, as well as requests for more money, were made yesterday during public submissions on the Waitaki District Council's 2012-22 draft long-term plan.
It was the first of three days during which the council will consider about 500 submissions.
About 100 submitters asked to appear before the council.
Last year the council received a total of 187 submissions on its annual plan.
The draft plan proposes a total rates increase of 7.4% next year.
This financial year the council is collecting $25.55 million in total rates, which will rise to $27.44 million next financial year.
Before the council even started looking at new projects, it faced a 4.89% increase because of costs beyond its control.
These included a reduction in roading subsidy by the New Zealand Transport Agency, a $381,000 increase in insurance costs, a reduction in investment income because of lower interest rates and upgrading water schemes to meet Government drinking-water standards.
Yesterday, about 50 people were scheduled to appear to verbally support their submissions, some representing more than one group or organisation.
That included one via phone conference from Christchurch by a Lincoln University lecturer.
The submissions covered a wide range of issues, from the usual, that rates are too expensive, to requests for the council to spend more money on projects or activities submitters were interested in.
There was also both support and opposition to the annual limit proposed for the first time on rates increases.
Waitaki is proposing in its draft 2012-22 long-term community plan a rates cap on increases of the Cost Price Index (inflation) plus 5% a year.
It would apply to the total rates take, not to individual rates increases.
What the eventual cap will be depends on the submissions the council considers and discussions it will have when it finalises its draft long-term plan on May 29 and 30.
The draft increase of 7.4% was covered by the proposed rates cap of CPI plus 5%.
Some other issues raised included roading maintenance, improvements for individual rates, the cost of upgrading water supply, a proposal to withdraw from funding the Waitaki Community recreation Centre, rubbish disposal and recycling, Oamaru Harbour development, redevelopment of the Oamaru Library-Forrester Gallery-North Otago Museum, Alps 2 Ocean cycleway and seeking continued support for irrigation.
There was also conflict between those pushing for more user-pays, while others opposed proposals such as admission fees for the Forrester Gallery.
The hearings continue today and on Tuesday, if required.
