My Rates, My Local, Thriving Communities – by Yan Zhang.
I’m a solo mother raising a bright neurodivergent child in Titahi Bay, a business analyst and Justice of the Peace candidate. Like many families in Porirua, I know what it’s like to juggle bills, school runs, and day-to-day challenges while wanting a safer, fairer city for our children.
I’m standing for council because local governance must be visible, accountable, and financially responsible — from the rates we pay to the services we rely on. And it must answer the questions we’ve all been asking:
- Why are our rates so high?
- Why are pipes still leaking?
- Why is it so hard to make ends meet?
- Why does it feel like decisions are made far away, not with us?
That’s why I created MyRates™, a mobile-friendly platform that uses publicly available council data to show exactly how rates are allocated — street by street, service by service. With one click, you’ll see how much is spent on water pipe upgrades, school lunches, parks, and infrastructure repairs. A live water-tracking module keeps every project in sight, helping ratepayers save money by cutting waste and demanding better services.
Alongside it, MyLocal™ empowers residents to safely grow home-based businesses. It connects neighbours through shared kitchens for certified homemade food sales, provides guidance to avoid costly council penalties, builds a sensory-friendly hub for neurodivergent learning, and hosts an online skill-exchange for household help. This creates a legal, supportive neighbourhood economy where families can earn extra income and reduce living costs.
If elected, I’ll bring clarity, fairness, and real results to council decisions, making Porirua the first city in Aotearoa where governance is truly citizen-powered.
Vote Yan Zhang for honest leadership and smart systems — because we don’t need more slogans. We need structure that saves money, creates opportunity, and works for all of us.