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Vol. 14, No. 52 Monday, December 24, 1984 36 Pages p.. w Free Press Staff Photo. A visit with anta Before making ton ight's world famous trip, San- ta Claus spent a few Saturdays in Whitby hearing requests-for presents from local children, ln- cluding Sarah Chislett, 101/, of Brooklin (above on Santa's knee).- Sarah came down to Santa's Village in down- town Whitby to tell the old gent what a good girl she's been this year. While the grade .5 Meadowcrest Public School pupil says she really doesn't believe in Santa any more she thought it woul dn't hurt to put' in her request for a Sony ,Walkman and some clothes for the Cabbage Patch doîl she's holding. For the last three Saturdays, Santa has been the guest of the Whitby Downtown Improvement Area R E.E E 's -ýs Whitby taxpayers have gotten an early Christmas*present fromn Whitby Town Council,- their property taxes for local purposes won't. be raised next year. The decision was made after -the Ontario Ministry of Revenue in- formed town officiais a week earlier than ex- pected that1 Whitby's Brýunelle assesament b ase, grew by 5.7, percent in1984.' The extra revenue that would be generated by Whitby's growth' mheant a tax increase in 1985 wouldn't be needed. <Needless to say, the members of Whitby Town Council were sim- ply overjoyed at the "This. is not an ar- lificial figure,"' remarked Coun. Joe Bugelli who added that the town's aggressive marketing technique 's brought new growth to Whitby 'enabling the politicians to forgo a tax increase in 1985., "This council's done it," Coun. Joe Drumm said, "This is the first zero budget I can remember." .Only Coun. Ross Bat- ten made reference to the 1985 municipal elec- tion saying' that,- the town's budget'shouldn't be "constructed as an election year budget." "This budget has been to give an improved level of service to the taxpayer," he'said also gviing- credit to Whit- by's high growth rate 1for the no tax increase. 1The North Ward councillor is also con- fident that the town will continue to grow in 1985. "I think we can an- ticipate a fairly 10w tax increase in 1986," Bat- ten added. Probably the liappiest man on'council is Coun. MarcelBrunelle who,ý as chairman of the treasurer's department, was responfsible for the drawing up of the 1985 budget and the striking of the miil rate. 41 took the job wvith some nervousness,"1 he told-his coillegues, "and with some enthusiasm because its somhething V've Iooked forward to since I was elected."' For Brunelle, bringing a budget with increased. spending without a 'tax increase was a moment of pride. "I feel very strongly when' I say that l'have neyer, been so- proud to belong ,to anything as 1 have'been, to belong to, this coundil," he'said. 1But lie didn't take ail thé creclit for hiMself . "This is flot my budget, it's ourý budget. We've worked as a team," Brunelle con- tinued, "It's a tremen- dous achievement in these times to, corne in with a zero budget." "We've been doing the best job we can to give the best bang for the buck." In 1985, the Town of Whitby will spend just over $11.8 million on its day-to-day operation. The largest chunk of the money - $4.85 million - will be 'spent. by the public works ,depar- tment to provide such services as traffic con- trol; road,' sidewalk and culvert construction and maintenance; main- tenance 0f town owned property; garbage collection and disposaI; street lighting; and to operate' the Whitby Transit Service and the Whitby Handi-Transit. Operating the Whitby Fire Department will CONT'D ON PG. 3 Ourn"ext issue .In honor of the New Year's Day holiday Jan. 1, the next issue of the Whitby Free Press will be published Dec. 31 (next Monday). The deadline for al Emporium and classified advertising lias been moved up to 2 p.m. this Thursday (Dec. 27). This will also be the deadline for 'al display advertising and for al community organizations wishing to *subrnitnews iteriis We would, like to remind our readers that the offices of the Whitby Free, Press will be closed tomnorrow and Wednesday (Dec. 25 and 26) in honor of the Christmas Day and Boxing Day holidays. The publisher and staff of the Whitby Free Press would like to take this opportunity te, wish ail of our readers, a Merryý Christmas and a Happy New Year. h Council's Christmas present.... No ta 198-51