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W FRlB EE PRESS. WEDNESDAY, MAY 8 1991, PAGE 9 Wone oer.,budge t deficit White said it makes sense te stimulate the econemy now, with people eut cf work, rather than weiting until conditions frnprove. <Laughren is hoping a13.4 per cent, spending increase will croate 70,000 new jobs. in Ontario.)' uThese capital programs are necessary, we're creating 70,000, plu jbsnow,» said White eTere e peint in waiting untif 1997. White appreciates public anger at paying more in gesoline and «s8in» taxes, but ho said this nuast be kept in perspective with the overeil budget. «People talk about gas (elcohol, cigaet) taxes going up,ý but no one taîks about taxes going down,» seid White. "We have reduced or elimina- ted taxes for, lower-income ear- ners.» Liaugyhren cut or scrapped pro- vincial income taxes for 700,000 poor families. The child tax credit for low- income familles will ho increased from $200 te, $350. A single parent with two children and an income under $22,500 wlll pay ne Ontario income tax. Taxpayers earning *at least $84,000, however, will' pay slightly more te Queen's Park. ~for the «gas guzzler» ta White does net ho loeve it wili have much impact on cars pro- duce drawbacks are offset by peopl'e hoing. compelled te drive more energy efficient cars, ho said.asmlesi «Se you drivea mlesi (cylinder) than you're lised to. I always *buy GM cars aÀ~d I don't think lMIl hotorribly inconvion- ced." White said criticism that the govorniment should have done more to, help the _poor is unfair. "Many people. are. sayîng tere s ne t enough te fght povertyi but we've made more substantive efforts (than 'pro- vious governments),» he said. (Welfae payments will in- creaso by more than 40 per cent or $1.4 billion, including '$158 million te reform the welfare system.). Critics must keep in mind that additional spending in this area' would have meant an even grea- ter deficit or additional taxes, White edded. Durhamn East MPP Gord Mills echoed White's commente. «f'm supportive of the position taken te fight the récession we can't desert people because oJ the deficit,» saîd Milis. Admitting «we're in a hell cf a bind,» Mills said Laughren'had ne choice but te increase the provincial debt. «We inherlted an operating deficit of $3 billion when we started and the federal govern- ment has cut transfer pay- monts.» Mills said that due to thé recession and Ottawas fiscal policies, provincial revenues are down dramatically. "Corporation. tax is down becauso cernpanies are closing up because of free trade and sales tax is down because people aren't bu* g "said Milîs. i less money corning in, how do yen do lit unlees you g o into a deficit or raiso taxes?" hie asks. "You can't simply throw up your banda and say we can't do Two, charýge.d with trafficking Two Whitby residents have been charged with traffcldng after police seized 50 marijuana plants during.a raid lest Thurs- dat.. Durharn Regional Police exécu- ted a search warrant et a Hill- court Dr. home and discovered the plants growing under spécial lighta in the basement. *The marijuana planté had an estimated street value of $47f000. Donald Keith Taylor, 22, and Rébecca Elizabeth LeBlanc', 18, both of Hillcourt Dr., will eppear in Oshawa provincial court on May 31. anything becauso there's a réces- sion.», SMills disagrees with Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Mike Harris that Laughren should have reduced the'number of, governînent employees a, la hoing done elsewlbere. "I don't think 'civil servants should bear the cross cf the recession," said Mills. For instance, if Laughren fol- lowed Newfoundland's exaimple and chopped a per ca pta number of workers, «we would have had te lay off 18,000 civil servants,» said Mills. "The lest thing we should do is lay off 18,000 more people in a récession.» Mills aIse defended increased funding te welfare recipints. «These people hate every minute of it but they're des- perate, they have nothing else.» While some may abuse the system, Mills sai£d they are a smaîl minority. «These people are not crooks. People who say they cheat, I ask, how many of them cheat on'their inceme tax?» Durhitm Board of Education chairman Ian Brown was dis- appointed the budget did net increase the provine's share cof education funding. Ho . said Education Ministor Marion. Boyd has jpromised the government wil i gradually return to its traditional 60 per cent funding share. "Fim disappointed thero was no moire to 60 per cent level fund- inxg"said Brown. MTe minister said they would dojit over their mandate but te go from 40 te 60 will take a big effort, I >hoXe twudhv startd now. e i wudhv Howeve; Brown is optiniistic Durham will.jreceive a.portion of the $125 million set aside te help local governmenutpay for the provrnce's mandate wage equity scheme. Brown estimnates a recent court decision. giving elemontary tea- chers parity with *socondary tee- chers cost the board about $2.1 million. "I hope some of that money cornes our way,» said Brown. Speaking as a taxpayer and not for the board, Brown, a Whitby trustee, is unhappy with the generel thrust ofth udget. "I don't think increasing the debt is right,' it's wrong to, spend our way eut of the recesdion. Witbv Mayor Bob Attersley did ýnot:rïnd m'uch in the budget te relieve the burden on mumcî- pal taxpayers. «If anythin, therp is some relief on- we ar or the <Dur- ham) ]Region, other than - that there's net much,» said Attersley. «The main concern seems to, be the argument about the way they're going.», The president of 'the Ontario Home Builders' Association (OHBA) had mixed feelings about measures affecting his in- dustry. While ho welcomod $1.3 billion te provide 35,000 -units cfc- operative and non-profit housing, AlILibfeld said this is net thîe only segment cf the mairket. «The province has recognized that the residential construction industry is going te lead Ontariosa economy eut of the current recossion,» said Iàbfeld in a pre pared statemenit. "Unfoirtunately, the only direct *assistance being provided by the government is in the form of sIllysistedhousing» LibYfed said government- owned land' should bo made available for housing and the' epproval precesa fer develop- mensmare fasr. lit