Wairarapa residents are divided on whether to break away from the Greater Wellington local authority umbrella.
New governance structures are being proposed for the region, one comprising an overall council and area councils, the other a council with community boards.
In Wairarapa, the three mayors want to form a single governing authority.
A recent report found a strong case for this and says it would be financially viable.
Carterton mayor Ron Mark says the move is about long-term development and the community getting things it wants done.
But the group Better Wairarapa says the area cannot afford to go it alone, and there are concerns it would not be heard by central government.
Public submissions on the reforms close on Friday.
