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OPINION & LETTERSTHE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR:The Oakville BeaverTHE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR:Canadian Circulation467 Speers Rd.,Audit Board Member Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 Recognized for Excellence by(905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571COntario CommunityCanadian Communitylassified Advertising: 632-4440 Newspapers AssociationNewspapers AssociationCirculation: 845-9742 Open 9-5 weekdays,ATHENASuburban NewspapersAward5-7 for calls only Wed. to Friday, Closed weekendsof AmericaEditorial and advertising content of theOakville Beaver is protected by copyright.NEIL OLIVERVice President and Group ROD JERREDManaging EditorMARK DILLSDirector of ProductionUnauthorized use is prohibited.Publisher of Metroland WestDANIEL BAIRDAdvertising DirectorMANUEL GARCIAProduction ManagerThe Oakville Beaver is a division ofDAVID HARVEYRegional General ManagerRIZIERO VERTOLLIPhotography DirectorCHARLENE HALLDirector of DistributionJILL DAVISEditor in ChiefSANDY PAREBusiness ManagerSARAH MCSWEENEYCirc. ManagerLetter to the editorumbers gameRoaming catsIt seems our regional government has taken to performing a little budgetary spin doctoring.are nuisanceThe headline of a press release issued last week Re:Bylaw reduces stray cat pop-by Halton Region triumphantly proclaimed, Halton ulation, Oakville Beaver, Feb. 4Regional Council unanimously approves 2011 bud-Finally someone else gets it. get 0.2 per cent tax reduction for regional pro-Thank you Kimberley Ford.grams and services.Council demonstrated it was lis-The news release then boasted how the reduc-tening to the socially responsible by tion in regional programs and services amounted creating a bylaw that prohibits cats to a $1.50 reduction in annual taxes for a typical from roaming freely. Remember, Halton household.when your cat is not on your prop-The regional tax reduction was achieved while erty it is encroaching on someone maintaining and enhancing service levels for else's space. Making someone pay Haltons community, said Regional Chair Gary for irresponsible pet ownership is Carr in the same press release.certainly not a cash grab as one Sounds too good to be true, doesnt it?writer put it. Thats because it is.Licencing all domestic cats would Buried about halfway down the release comes have been a cash grab. Feral cats are the following statement: When combined with the not our major problem. The chronic 4offenders are cats that apparently do .4 per cent increase in the Halton Regional Police have homes, but just don't happen Service budget, Halton taxpayers will see an to be there quite a bit of the time.increase of 1.4 per cent in the total regional prop-We put out bird feeders that have erty tax bill. For a typical household with current attracted more than 40 species of value assessment of $350,000 this equates to an songbirds, the occasional predatory increase of $18.76 for 2011.hawk, a few squirrels and a horde of The last time we checked, policing was a region-TheOakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal consider-neighbour's opportunistic cats.Letters toal service and therefore should have been rolled in ations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the Wildlife has enough indigenous author. Letters should be addressed toThe Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4,with the rest of the regional programs and services the editoror via e-mail toeditor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter.predators without adding stray budget figure.uncontrolled cats to the mix. There Could it be that last years promise of another Fight cat bylaw by signing petitionis no sound that gets your attention regional tax freeze had driven regional officials to during the night like the screaming not onlyRe:Penalizing cat owners, Oakville Beaver, peratures and probably die. What are they separate policing from the rest of the of a baby rabbit being ripped apart Jan. 27thinking?regional programs and services budget, but then by a stray cat. I couldnt agree more as I read the articu-Finally, to our Town Councilors who voted bury it halfway down its press release?Digging in your garden soil is late letter from Lesley Reid detailing the cruel for this bylaw, with little or no debate or Did they think no one would notice?always a treat when you come upon punishment imposed on the local outdoor cat-respect for the facts and relying exclusively on Wait, it gets even worse.deposits left by someone else's cat. pet population by the Town of Oakville in the self-serving position presented by the Regional council also approved a combined Our own house cat enjoys sun-concert with the Oakville and Milton Humane Oakville and Milton Humane Society. Has our water/wastewater budget rate hike of 4.1 per cent ning himself on our patio in his Society by passing a bylaw that bans unac-bureaucracy gone mad? What are they think-for Halton residents and businesses, meaning that backyard and even tolerates our companied outdoor cats. Have you ever seen a ing now?a typical household using 300 cubic metres of company. Wandering cats now make cat on a leash? Join me in having this bylaw repealed or water per year could expect to pay $31.10 more this almost impossible due to the The exact wording in this humane society revised by signing my petition at www.ipeti-than last year.inevitable posturing and fighting to bylaw permits roaming cats to be trapped. So tions.com/petition/freemytabby/. While water/wastewater rates arent technically establish or safeguard territories.they will languish in the trap in sub-zero tem-Bill Barr, Oakvillepart ofThe sight of dead squirrels, rac- a Halton residents tax bill, they do impact coons and foxes on our roadways is every residents household budget.In praise of those who work during snow stormsdifficult enough without adding While no one expects Halton Region to keep tax Why does it take a snow storm for us to the clock to see that we are as safe as possi-house pets to the mix.hikes frozen forever, such misleading tactics can appreciate all those people, who are employed ble and that we tend to take for granted.Please support your local humane only lead to feelings of mistrust.to keep us safe?It is time once again to thank all thosesociety and all animal control efforts Snow storms do bring out the snow doctors, nurses, firefighters, police, mainte-by being a responsive and responsi-The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising isplows, sanders and sidewalk snow blowers; nance workers and support staff that workble pet owner. The costs for indiffer-accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of that we only see once or twice a year.the long hours to see that we live with aent pet ownership are cruel and advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowancefor signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paidSnow storms are a reminder of all those good quality of life.expensive.for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisementsservices and professions, that work around Peter W. Sangster, OakvilleGerry Davenport, Oakvilleor decline.www.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, February 9, 2011 6