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Whitby Free Press, Wednesday, May 26, 1993. Page 17 Ontrjobudetattcke a, eambr eetn By Mike Kowalsd Ontario's new budget did net digest well for many who atten- ded a Whitby Chamber of Com- merce breakfast last week. There were few positive com- ments made about the budget at a meeting held by the chamber last Thursday. Guest speakers, Liberal MPPs Hugh ONeil and Joe Cordiano, naturally found little te praise in the New Democratic Party government's third budget. Many of those who asked ques- tions of the MPPs, bemoaned various provisions of the nearly $46-billion budget delivered by Treasurer Floyd Laughren the previous day. «It's the most oppressive budget Ontario's ever seen," Cor- diano said of the $1.6 bilion in tax hikes. "People in Ontario feel they're part o a state that's being run by a foreign country which has sent a governor te extract every last cent from the colony te fight a war for the mother country," he said. Net te be outdorne by his col- league from the Toronto riding of Lawrence, O'Neil said the budget's real impact has yet te be feit. "Im afraid the cuts, taxes, will be put onto the backs of home- owners," through higher property taxes levied by school boards and municipalities, ho said. "This could lead te (taxpayer) revolts," the Quinte MPP war- ned. The two MPPs offered their opinions of the budget following a presentation on what the docu- ment contains by local accoun- tant John Williams. (Although sponsored by the chamber of commerce, the Whitby meeting was referred te in a press release issued by the Liberal caucus at Queen's Park. (The release states that 1,500 people attended similar meetings held by the Liberals across Ontario on Thursday. (Chamber vice-president Allan Faux, who served as meeting chair could not confirm whether the iDP or the Progressive Con- servatives were invited to send representatives.) Cordiano criticized the NDP for bringing in a budget with so many tax increases. He claimed at least one study indicates that there is a better chance of a consumer-led reco- very occuring in Ontario than the United States, but this will now be negated by the budget. "Disposable income would have been higher and led to greater spending. To take all this money out of the economy just as a recovery is getting underway is not logical," ho said. Predicting that 50,000 jobs will be lost as a result of the "biggest tax grab in Ontario's history " Cordiano said the budget will destroy consumer confidence and kill any incentive for business to expan d. A former Cabinet minister and MPP since 1975, O'Neil said he has never witnessed the devas- tation caused by Canada's linger- ing recession. "People are losing their homes, they can't.pay their bills...all this is happening in a province which has been the leader in creating jobs and moving the economy, e said. O'Neil said the number of bankrupteies and businesses which have closed should have spun'ed Laughren to action. "I had hoped the government would have gotten sense of that and got money moving through the economy,"he said. But in response to a question from the audience, O'Neil admit- ted that "whatever government was there, it would have a diffi- cult time." However, he said the NDP added to its own misfortunes by not recognizing the problem soon enough. Inciased spending and costly wage settlements with doctors, nurses and public employees during the first two years of the government's mandate, contribu- ted to the deficit O'Neil said. He attacked tihe government's jobsOntario progran as consist- ng mainly of short-term work and said both the automotive and housing industries should have been addressed in the budget. "I don't mean building by government. It's gotten to the p oint where we're pretty well loaded in public housing," O'Neil said. O'Neil said people are still in need of housing but he feels the private sector can fulfill that requirement. Cordiano said the budget should have offered more incen- tives to business. "When you invest in machinery, equipment, it leads te job creation, rather than what's in jobsOntario training," he said. Accountant Williams noted that during a recession, govern- ments traditionally spend more to stimulate the economy, but owirig to high deficits this can no longer be done. "When times are good is when you cut back," he said. However past governments, whether Liberal or Conservative, federal or*provincial, "spent like drunken sailors," said Williams. "Now we're caught in a situa- tion where we need government spending and they can't do it because the debt level is too hi'en asked what solutions he would propose, Williams said he would roll back wages of ail public sector employees -- federal, provincial and municipal -- 10 te 15 per cent. No jobs would be lost and workers would receive salary in- creases when times were botter, By Mike Kowalski Record tax increases notwith- standing, last week's Ontario budget was fair to everyone, Dur- ham Centre MPP Drummond White contends. "It was a fair, balanced budget" that gave something back and took something away, while also focusing on wealthier Ontarians, he said. It also marked the first time since 1942 that a provincial government has - reduced its spending, White noted. "The overall thrust is to pro- gressive taxes and reducing the deficit almost in half," he said. "For every dollar in new revenue, $4 will be saved." Both the commercial concent- ration tax on municipal parking lots and the $5 tire tax were scrapped, White said, although the retail sales tax will be expan- ded to parking lots and meters, he admitted. However, the sales tax will remain at eight per cent, White stressed. White said the government will chop spending by $4 billion this year and he denied opposi- tion claims that this is not actual he said. "They've got to take a hit, the privatesector has suffered," said Wiliams, "That's the kind of draconian thing you need, but I would never get elected on that," he admitted. spending, but programs the gôvernment would have funded if it had the money. He agreed that some of the savings will come from targeted spencding such as not proceeding with relocating government offices from Toronto to other Ontario communities. "(But) you can't look at $4 billion and say that's all ficti- tious," White insisted. "There are a number of pro- grams being cut. If they're not effective and not meeting people's needs, they're cut," he said. White dismissed arguments that the government is not doing enough to help the province's unemployed. He said there is a "heavy investment" in skills training and pointed out that Durham College's new Whitby campus will receive the largest share of this funding. "If we spent $20 billion more unemployment figures would come down but at what cost?" White asked. He said the government is SEE PAGE 18 [ WE CAT TO TEAI Wear your t uniform and re FREE WI Enjoy a Jug while Darts or Shuffle • Full Dinner Menu • Banquet Facilitie • Special Team Di * Sp0O S Po u0 LEAFS U00!' JOIN US FOR THE GAME WTH 4 SCREENS TO WA TCH! ER MIS! eam Bceive NrGS Playing 'board. D1 scounts RTS LOUNGE F OPEN 'TIL 1 AM NIGHTLY * SUNDAY 'TIL 10 PM 965 DUNDAS ST. W. 0 WHITBY. S * (West Lynde Plaza) 430-4788 e 0.10-01,00666.000006 • e e e e Local ISs 1 defend budget