An expected average rate rise of more than 20% came under the spotlight last week as ratepayers had their say.
The Gore District Council began its annual plan hearings on Tuesday last week and submitters were critical of the rates rise.
The council received 150 submissions on the plan.
It has proposed a rate increase of 21.4% this year.
Local business owner Sharon Paterson said nobody in the district could afford the increase.
"It comes down to basics. We just can’t afford the increase. It’s just really quite simple."
Deputy mayor Keith Hovell said there were two sides to every coin and asked whether the council should look at selling some of its assets.
"We’ve got the ice skating, the pool, everything else. Do you we need everything?" Ms Paterson said.
A similar sentiment regarding rates was put forward by another resident, David Turnbull.
"As a ratepayer, I know there’s plenty of people out there struggling to pay bills at the moment and these rate increases seem ludicrous."
His submission focused on how the council could reduce spending, particularly on plants in the town.
"There seems to be a never-ending cycle of pull a tree out, plant a tree. Pull a tree out, damage infrastructure."
Cr Robert McKenzie asked whether replacing deciduous trees with an evergreen tree or something similar would work.
"Yes, definitely and a smaller tree. If I was a business up the main street I would probably be sending the council some bills for maintenance on cleaning my gutters and drains at this time of the year, " Mr Turnbull said.
Not all submissions focused on the proposed rate increases.
Parks and reserves and kerbside recycling were also discussed.
Gore resident Margaret Pullar asked that the parks, cemeteries and reserves budgets not be reduced.
"Gore’s districts parks and reserves are unique ... One of the main factors attracting tourists to Gore and the district."
