The Tauranga Business Chamber's March business straw poll has revealed the most pressing issues for business leaders in the region.
Businesses reported that the cooling economy, overall rising costs of business and staff shortages were the greatest risks to their business this year.
The poll found that 62 percent of respondents were supportive of the Tauranga City Council's plan to continue increasing commercial rates to address the city's transport, housing and amenity issues.
30 percent of respondents were opposed and 8 percent preferred not to say.
"Businesses are overall happy to pay greater rates, as long as they are seeing tangible results in the right areas," explained Matt Cowley, CEO of Tauranga Business Chamber.
The poll also uncovered that the majority of Tauranga business leaders harbour concerns about the return of elected members to Tauranga City Council next year.
57 percent of the poll's respondents expressed that they have concerns, or are anxious, about returning to a fully elected council in July 2024.
"We need councillors elected based on skills, rather than personalities and personal agendas," said one respondent.
A third of respondents reported that they were happy to return to a fully elected council, while just under 10 percent preferred not to say.
"There is a strong sense that the city has moved forward under the commissioners, and people are nervous about potentially going back to the future," concluded Cowley.
