Sandy (Sandor) Milne

Early risers on Tuesday morning who tuned into Radio New Zealand would have heard that Rotorua City Council is building houses for essential workers such as teachers and nurses, with rent far below the market rate.

Is it okay if I take credit for that? Last Friday, the Beacon ran a letter from me in which I urged our council to do just that.  That gave Rotorua's council a whole weekend to steal a march on Whakatāne and get in first with its announcement.  Clever move, eh?

Every few years, the Beacon has run a letter from myself in which I point out that I own a good rental property and have been charging $200 less than the market rate for 10 years.

I have been hoping that other rental property owners would follow my example, but few if any have done that. That's why we need our council to step in, now.
My "generosity" was nothing of the sort.  It was a civilised response in a community where greed rules in the rental market.

I have been charging four consecutive Whakatāne Hospital nurses' families between $310 and $530 and helped each get a foot on the home ownership ladder.  
I have denied myself $100,000 but have still done well because I have not been taxed on my huge capital gain.

My tenants across the road in Douglas Street are still lumbered with a huge rent.  But my nearest neighbours each pay $670 per week for a less desirable property on a section half the size.

For the record any profit I make helps me with my health campaigns.
Clarification - council assistance for incoming workers should not continue for more than a couple of years.