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Council did endorse a threeâ€"year plan to grant $100,000 each year to a Burlington Bay fish and wildlife restoration project. The funds will come from a capital reserve and don‘t impact final budget figures. Council was wary about funding the project based on concerns the restoration could improve the area to the point of perhaps hindering eventuâ€" al plans to upgrade the Region‘s Burlington Bay sewage treatment The tinkering saw $800 chopped out of a councillors‘ services budget, likely to come out of a miscellaneous fund, said regional treasurer Joe Rinaldo. "It‘s so small, you lose it in the rounding of the pennies," he said. The Region‘s preliminary budget was unveiled two weeks ago. Several committee meetings followed where councillors tinkered with items, but did relatively little before the budget appeared Wednesday for council‘s preliminary approval. It all means 1995 regional taxes, combined property taxes, and user rates, will tally $741.46 for the averâ€" age residence in Halton. It breaks down to $387.85 in property taxes and $353.61 in water rates. The 3.1% increase will pay $9.46â€" million toward upgrading aging infrastructure (still $1.43â€"million short of identified 1995 needs), and will pay most of a fiveâ€"year $4.6â€"milâ€" lion watermain upgrade plan to ensure adequate firefighting capabiliâ€" ties, predominantly in Burlington. Earlier this year, that city‘s firefightâ€" ing couldn‘t get enough water from hydrants to effectively fight a house fire. So far, it‘s a budget with no propâ€" erty tax increases, but one that jacks up water bills by 3.1% â€" adding $10.50 to the average household‘s tax bill. After Nov. 14th‘s municipal elecâ€" tion, newly elected regional councilâ€" lors will get their chance to dig in before final budget approval, set for Dec. 21st. It will then include Halton‘s Regional Police Service budget, which won‘t be ready until early December. old and new regional councils get a crack at Halton Region‘s 1995 budget, outâ€"going councillors didn‘t give it much play before approving it at regional council Wednesday. I n an election year, where both By ANGELA BLACKBURN Special to the Beaver Outgoing council grants approval to region‘s 1995 budget proposal New council will have final say The budget assumed conservative tax base growth in Halton, but Wednesday Rinaldo said, "We have an update on the assessment figures. Assessment growth will be greater than expected, so the regional tax levy will actually go down for the second year in a row. There are no final numâ€" bers yet, but I‘m confident we‘ll see a plant. The budget meets a council target of no property tax increases, instead of the staffâ€"recommended 1.5% (See ‘Halton‘ page 23) Regional property taxes have actuâ€" ally dropped by $1.98 since 1993. So far, they‘ve dropped by only four cents for 1995 over last year. reduction in the regional millrate." It could come in at one quarter of 1%. Be a volunteer for The Oakville Galleries Volunteer Association. Help with: ART RENTAL SALES THE STUDIO GIFT SHOP Both activities are at the Gairloch Gallery, 1306 Lakeshore Rd., E. Specialized art knowledge or training is not required for these activities. For further information call Ann Last at §45â€"5966 °Y )193 cMmoO Tt moel N C tw w \\ X t es