Former Wellington mayor Celia Wade-Brown says her request to have a tattoo for a farewell gift was "too unconventional" for the council.
In September, the outgoing mayor requested the forest gecko tattoo as her departure gift, but documents released today reveal the council refused to pay for it.
The two-term mayor says she wasn't expecting a leaving present.
"I hadn't actually thought about whether there would be a leaving gift at all. My initial response was to say 'I would really like a tattoo'.
"I think this was seen as being a little bit too unconventional and we agreed that a park bench in one of Wellington's lovely reserves would be appropriate."
Ms Wade-Brown had the gecko tattooed on her ankle and posted a photo to Facebook on December 4.
She said she didn't feel the pain because she was: "busy reading my Mandarin so ignored it. Worse than a foot massage but better than the dentist!!"
The lizard, a forest gecko native to Wellington, was designed by her son many years ago.
"It's only taken me about 10 years to summon up the nerve to have one done," she told Newshub.
"I thought there was a nice connection to one of the areas I've worked hardest in, as both council and mayor, was to promote and protect Wellington's natural environment."
Ms Wade-Brown says in the end her colleagues came together to give her the gift.
"The lovely staff at council did a whip-round collection and bought me a voucher that went most of the way to having my little gecko on my leg.
"It was very generous. I've been at council for a long time and got some very good friends there."
The tattoo was done by James Henderson at Ninjaflower studio in Wellington, which charges $150 per hour.
Newshub estimates the tattoo would have taken no longer than two hours to complete.
Taxpayers' Union executive director Jordan Williams says he found it hard to believe the request.
"Ratepayer-funded body art is perhaps the most unusual spending request we have ever come across. Well done to the person in the council who had the nous to say no!"
Ms Wade-Brown announced in August last year that she wouldn't contest the local body elections, making way for a new mayor-elect.
She spent 20 years in local government, 14 of which were as a councillor.
A Wellington City Council spokesman said Ms Wade-Brown requested the gift after a staff member suggested it would be a nice idea.
He said it is not common for outgoing mayors to request a gift and that she did not receive an alternative present.
The council says the tattoo was not declined on taste grounds but because "we don't think it's a good idea for ratepayers' money to be spent on a gift".
Newshub.
