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Page e, )Nþjtby, Fee Pr.ss, Wçdpsday, Marc.h 3, 1993 The only Newspaper owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whitby residents! MEMBER OF: C ONTARIO CANADIAN COMMUNITY COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER CNANEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION CANADIAN " CIRCULATIONS CNA DIVISION AUDIT BOARD 25,500 COPIES DELIVERED WEEKLY Published every Wednesday by 677209 Ontario inc. Box 206, 131 Brock St. N., Whitby, Ontario L1 N 5S1 Phone: 668-6111 Toronto Line: 427-1834 Fax: 668-0594 Doug Anderson - Publisher Maurice Pifher - Editor Alexandra Martin - Production Manager Printed on newsprint with minimum 20% recycled content using vegetable based inks. To. the editor... ToWhe edtor... What about media's bias? To the Editor: Town council is to be congratulated for bringing in a zero budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Not only is it a reflection of the recessionary times but it also can be attributed to the voice of the taxpayer who has been requesting expenditure retraint at al levels of government. But let's remember that taxes in Whitby have increased, on an average basis, by 100 per cent over the past 11 years. We have reached a point where we can no longer tolerate increases of this nature. What continues to frustrate taxpayers is the continued practice by Town council to shut out citizens from the budget process. The decisions continue to be made behind closed doors, giving the impression that there is a hidden agenda. Budget information is still not released to taxpayers' groups ahead of the scheduled public meeting, and that prevents any person from asking reasonable questions on specific items. As an example, there are thousands of dollars budgeted for magazine subscriptions for each department and an extravagant travel budget for conferences, etc. Why do we allow these practices to continue? For the administrator's office alone, $8,400 has been allotted for travel expenses, $2,000 set aside for memberships and subscriptions and $2,000 planned for seminars and education. If this is an example of cost reduction attempts in Whitby, it shows that there is still much fat that can be trimmed from the budget. With a little more scrutiny by our Town councillors and involvement by taxpayers, this year's zero per cent increase should establish the benchmark for future years. The school boards are in the midst of debating this year's budget and looking at a number of ways to cut expenditures. The Ontario Taxpayers' Coalition opposed the Durham Board of Education's new administrative building, costing $33 million. The centre, dubbed "Club Ed" by coalition members, was eventually approved by our trustees and construction has now started. At this time, the board is contemplating significant reductions in educational programs and student transportation, citing budgetary restraints. While we appreciate that tough budget decisions have to be made, our priorities seem to be crossed up. Instead of the system serving the students, it appears to be serving board emproyees. On the regional scene, regional councillors approved their own benefit package and a four per cent pay hike in late 1992, shortly after the Region's call for a workers' wage freeze. Additionally, regional councillors continue to be reimbursed for mileage expenses for going to work. As a example, one Whitby councillor claimed $3,486.30 in reimbursements for mileage and convention expenses. We Will point out that nine other regional councillors did not subrmit any claims. While there has been some progress made by our elected representatives, there is certainly room for improvement. Practices which are acceptable to the public in past years are no longer tolerable due to the present economic situation and high unemployment. Unfortunately, it always appears that levels of government and our alected representatives are the last to take appropriate action and act responsibly under these trying times. The only thing that will make the difference is participation by the taxpayer to ensure that all elected officials are held accountable for their decisions. Guy Ouellette Vice-president Ontario Taxpayers' Coalition Whitby chapter To the Editor: The article published in The Free Press, Feb. 17 issue, under the heading, 'OMB appeals could cost Town,' causes me great concern. My position is not about who is right or wrong with regard to the 24 council decisions to which objections are being made, but by the way comments are publicly being made by our elected officiais. What can be gainful to growth To the Editor: Recently, I have been cultivating something of an interest in broad social trends and their consequences, and so I was intrigued by the opinions expressed by Steven Leahy in his Viewpoint article, 'Our hidden bias' (The Free Press, Feb. 24). Mr. Leahy's point was that there is a certain anti-environmental bias present in prevailing attitudes, such as the implicit trust of technology and limited government. I would agree, and counter that . the ecological movement has, by degrees, never been fully benign. As realized by Ernst Naeckel, the German zoologist/philosopher who coined the term 'ecology' in 1866, and Rachel Carson, author of 'Silent Spring,' a seminal work that popularized environmentalism and Haeckel's ideas in the sixties with an impassioned call to action, the ecological movement has primarily been one in pursuit of a very specific philosophic and political agenda, often at the expense of science. One of the most fundamental miLi M b f ic I ht ha h th at triDutes oi man is it power to change hisE it is not necessary for1 to it or weather its oft arbitrary conditions. Y most religiously heldt ecological movemen change of - anything destruction; that nal intrinsic value apart What, then, are we to Certainly it isi interests to mainta environment, but con Leahy's views, the o can't be placed upo prove that it i' not1 environment. It is impossible, and a braz reason, to attempt negative - that som happening, und'tecte The proof must others, such as priva organizations, to prov is being done. Otherw and technology wou under the weight litigation. An excellent boo by such comments? In these difficul times, when progi benefits (jobs, etc.) fo I would strongly reco the mayor use his offi parties together to r objections. It could save t dollars and lead to b in the public meeting F this subject which gives exposure to research that has been done on the validity of many of today's environmental issues. 'Rational Readings on Environmental Concerns' (edited by Jay H. Lehr, published by Van Nostrand Reinhold) addresses many legiti- mate concerns and also takes a look at some issues, such as 'global warming' -- still as much an unproven theory as 'global cooling' was 15 years ago -- which are called into serious question. In a series of reports and essays, it presents the alternative ideas of a sizeable portion of the scientific community that is deeply concerned that our, media culture has, perhaps, become more concerned with unabashedly advocating the issue of environ- mentalism at all costs, rather than objectively examining it. If we're expected to swallow the patronizing generalization of the study Mr. Leahy mentioned, that we have a 'hidden bias,' what then should be made of the media's bias? Mr. Leahy's argument concerned the 'culturally enshrined belief s which prejudice our decisions.' What I would sugges is that one form of indoctrination is no substitute for another, The ideas behind Canada's mixed economic traditions and the new wave of militant ecological pressure groups could both bear closer examination. Todd Howe Whitby EDITOR'S NOTE: In last week's edition, Steven Leahy's Viewpoint was not printed in its entirety. The Free Press regrets the omission. The full text of that Viewpoint is on page 22' in this week's edition. Flogging the defenceless To the Editor: aOn Monday, Feb. 15 the council environment; him to adapt chambers at the Whitby municipal en harsh and building Iost some of the solemnity et one f the erally associated with such a et one of thefaclîty. tenets of the Something else was also lost nt ura thatevening -- the integrity of natural isho used the ture has anchambers to attack a private from man. citizen who would dare to do? question some of the decisions in our best made in committee or council. in a clean Some councillors are disturbed ntrary to Mr. that Suse Eggert of Whitby has nus of proof filed several objections to the n science to Ontario Municipal Board (0MB), harming the which, incidentally, is the right of inherently any citizen of any municipality in zen attack on Ontario should they fool they have to prove a just cause. ething is not At the 26th meeting of council d. on Feb. 22, councillors again rest upon attacked Mrs. Eggert. Councillors ite watchdog Drumm and Doîstra would like to ve that harm somehow recover costs incurred vise, industry for such hearings. uld collapse Councillors should know that of arbitrary objections to thOMB are a democratic right, the costs of k exists on which should not be borne by the objector unless, of course, council would like to further remove what IS little democracy is left in Whitby. The f inancial obligations should be met by the municipality and be considered the cost of doing t economic business. ess means Mr. and Mrs. Eggert have r everybody, consistently been watchdogs over Ommend that couicil and, in some cases, over be to bring ail staff. They have sincerely esolve those expressed their concerns on many, many occasions, anly to bu housands of ignored andpo insulted by sme etter feelings members of council. ,rocess. h could possibly b that, by listening to residents, our eected Gery Emm representatives could learn W fhltby something. It s a ims to me the only time they listen is when someone is feeding their ego with false praise. Alleged remarks by councillors such as "lowering the boom" or "it blows my mind that two people could be responsible for a one mill increase in Whitby's tax rate" are totally irresponsible and arrogant. This kind of behaviour is not becoming to an elected person. And, when it comes to costs, take a look at what these tinhorns squeeze out of the taxpayer each year, with their one-third tax-free salary, mileage, benefits and ridiculous expenses for confer- ences. Unfortunately, this is only one of many instances where councillors have used the chambers for personal use as a vénom dispensary by indulging in the public verbal f logging of defenseless individuals. Tlhs does nothing to improve the widespread distrust and lack of'confidence in politicians. Fortunately, all Whitby councillors do not display this sòhoolyard-bullying approach to sâlving the legitimate concerns of reput able residents of Whitby. It is very possible that, with some leadership, many of the OMB objections registered by the Eggerts could be resolved amicably. The community should be grateful to the Eggerts who spend considerable time and effort in the interest of keeping our politicians accountable. Hopefully, the Eggerts will be spared any further public indignity by the disturbing wolf-pack mentality inherent at Whitby council. JIm Priest Whitby Still room for improvement Resolve objection