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Page 6, Whltby Free Press. Wednosday, Docembor 13, 1995 The only Newspaper owned and operated by Whitby.resîdents for Whîtby residents! MEMBER 0F: CANADJIAN 1 ONTARIO COMMUNITY VR IDCOMMUNITY NEWSPAPER CRUAIN N EWSPAPER ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION ISSN#0844-398X Pubshed eve sbry en -yes ilasy 77209Ouspbinta d c Box 206, 131 Brook St. N., Whitby, Ontario Li N 5S1 Phone: 668-6111 Out of town: 1-800-668-0322 Fax: 668-0594 Doug Anderson - Publisher Maurice Pither - Editor Alexandra Martin - Production Manager Printed on newsprint with minimum 20% recycled content using vegetable based inks. SAil written material, illustrations and advertising contained herein is protected by copyright. Any reproduction by any means for commercial purposes without the express permission of the newspaper is prohibited and is a violation of Canadian copyright law. Reproduction for non-commercial distribution should bear a credit fie to the Whitby Free Press. To t he editor,,. Cut costs, dont increase,,tax-es To the edîtor: Re: T"No taI aliowedw Free Press, Dec. 6. I take Issue With the following statement made by Jim Souch, chair of the Whltby General Hospital board, wvith respect ta the presentation 0f the Community Partnership Vision (CPV) statement to the hospital board: "We have a procodure that has ta bu followed. There has to be a notice of motion and i don't want to vary f rom that." On Nov. 24, shortiy after 9 a.m., I hand-delivared the Community. Partnership Vision Statemrent ta Ms. Woodbury, chief exocutive officer of W hîtby (Genoral Hospital. i requested theC PV statement be lncluded aîang wlth tho agenda for the Nov. 29 meeting of the board. i also requestod thatd the CPV statament bu discussed and voted on at that meeting. Ms. Woodbury said she would give the CPV statement ta UJimU (Souch). Subsequentîy, Mr. Souch To the eciltor: ln the ongoing saga 0f Whitby General Hospital, the hospital board, district heaith council, SOGH and~ naw the rocent formation 0f a Cammunity Hospital Committee (CHC), and who knows haw many seif-interoat groups and individuais, it is intorosting ta see that a board member (not idontified ln the press) said that Whitby councilior Gerry Emm and others were a clique, wvith the Intent of sabatagin9 the board. Nonsonse. In roality, it is the board and adheronts who are loaving no stone unturned in a biatant attempt. ta sabotage* Whitby Genoral Hospital. The board has- been accused of using scare tactics and subtîe bribes etc. as reported in the local press, over the lest several months. The allagatians have nover buen publlcly addrossed by the board. prepared a statement addressing the CPV, and that statement, aiong with the weI-known document titled nThe Doctors' ProposaI,n was included with the agenda for the Nov. 29 board meeting. Mr. Souchs statament was discussod, amonded and vated on at the Nov. 29 meeting. Hawever, tho CPV statement was not affordod the same respect but Instoad was regarded as not boing proporly presanted boecausa thora was rio formai notice of motion. During the Nov. 29 board meeting, three other motions vated on (including the Jim Souch statement addressing the CPV statomont) did flot requiro a farmai notice af motian procedure, as did the CPV statement. Cieariy, the CPV statament was a document subject ta, prejudica. 1 trust this sots the record straight. Shirley Scott Hospital board member and Community Hospital member. Make no mistake. The majority 0f the citizens of Whitby, incîuding 30,000 who signed the relevant petition, want ta keep our hospital, as is, koeping in mind thatità%Mli continualîy improve as time goos on. As for the proposed rehab conversion, surely the maney can evontuaîiy be found ta acquiro a suitablo location for the rehab facilty, possibly' on the samo govornment land as the general hospital. After ail, the thousands of dollars squandered an the rehab repart succeeded oniy ta divdo the organizations and people lnvoived in the controversy, and has had a negative impact on the citizens 0f Whitby. Losing aur hospitai in has present form would bu a tragedy, and we must not ailow this ta happen. J. Gordon Neal Whftby To the edîtor: On Nov. 29, the provincial government reîeased their financlal statement outlnlng severe cuts ln the distribution of funds that MII Impact many services including manies passed on ta municipalities. The crylng towels are alreariy soaJclng wot as was dlsplayod by the east ward *cauncillor at the council meeting Nov. 27. One would almost thlnk no one knew the cuts were an the way. There wiII be casualtios as in the case of the director of personnel for the Town 0f Whitby (Free Press article, Nov. 1). The mayar was quoted as saylng mWe are runnlng out af places ta save maney.w Councillors are now forcod, for the flrst time, ta maybe pay attention ta their job, ta prove if they are worthy of the confidence put forth by the electorate who put them ln office. Do they have the courage and Intelligence ta open up the budget process ta the public and be receptive ta the taxpayers of this cammunity who just might offer some useful and constructive ideas ta help them? I find it disturbing when 1 read statementts f rom the chair af finance that the $625,000 shortf aIl wil represent about a tour per cent tax hike (Free Press, Dec. 6). Perhaps some thought could be given ta thinning the ranks at the top. Should Whitby taxpayers pay a hlgh salary, benefits, a very generous car allowance with cellular phone for an admînistrator? Many communities much larger than Whitby see no need for this costly position, The clerk's departments handle these duties well. Should Whitby taxpayors pay a hlgh saiary and banefits for a director af econamlc devalopment? Do we need anaewhen we have the duplication of this department at the Reglon lovel. Why should taxpayers pay twice for this? Shauld tpayars be requlred ta pay somneklocal politicians about $2,000 per year in leu of bonefits they do nat require, due ta having caverage from their present, or ex- employer, or covarage pald for by spousal employment? And should taxpayers have ta pay for such things as $1 0,000- dinners, $2,000 breakfasts, $4,000 lunches and thousands mare for Whitby and Longueuil, (lue. politicians? Or, should Durham taxpayers bu required ta pay thousands 0f dollars in saverenca pay for those who did not get re-elected or decido not to seok re-election? And are readers aware that Reglan cauncillars gave themrselves a fantastlc bonefits package? Does anyone know of a moonlighter or part-time worker wlth bonofits that Include free oye 1glasses, dental work and thousands 0f dollars 0f insurance? Rt WIlbu lnteresting ta see exactly what aur local palitîclans wlll gîve up. There are many other questions that should bu addressed by aur local politidians before the start galng ta the battamrless pi, (the 1taxpayer) ta help themn with the provincial cuts. S 'houki Whltby taxpayers continue ta subsidize Heydenshore Pavillon that compotes dlrectly wlth privmt faciities 0f the same kind? 1 feel Rt should bu sald, we shouid not bu in the pavillon business, seil It. Shouki Whltby taxpayers continue ta heavuly subsidize adufts who participate ln hockeytennis, swimmlng, boating, basebail, soccer and whatever aise 1 may have missed? There is certaily no subsidy for actîvities such as curling, dancing, travelling, golf, skiing or snowmobile enthusiasts, nor should there be. And should Whitby taxpayers continue ta subsidizo a seldomn used Town-owned gravaI pit? Soul itl You don't buy an ail company simply because you use a little gos. Shauld Whitby taxpayers pay the cost for same local counciliors ta fufi II their dreams and indulge thamselves in a taxpayer-pald junket ta China, especially whan even the business people don't want ta go? These are poignant questions and salient ta the challenge facing counicillors and, If acted upon, could result ln a considerable tax reductlan for the residents of Whitby rather than a. totally unaccoptable tax Increase of any klnd. And this ail cornes free wlthout the hlgh costs of the engagement of an outslde consultant. There Is one more thlng. The ward baundary Issue should be re-openec' and roviewed. Whitby, in relation ta constituent ratios, Is fair below that af a MPP or a MP (especially the north ward). 1 contend now, and did so ln a latter ta a counicillor ln March, ta bo prasented at the 1995 budget meeting (it was not brought forth). Whitby couki be divided inta an east- west configuration rather than a narth-south configuration as now exists. 1 contend that Whitby only requires three wards - north, central and south - thus eliminating one local councillor and ana ragianal counicillor. Wo are overgovorned. It is most unfortunate for us ail that politicians, aoertime, hava become so anachronistic. Most of them seemn ta concentrate an self- aggrandizement, rather than focus on the serlousness of the unbearable tax burden endured by busnesses and homeawners. Privatization of certain services shouki have been Implementad long ago as has boen dane ln many other communities. The costly administrative paper shuff le that Is generated from. many Town-awned facilities and busInessos (rogardless 0f fuddle-duddle accountlng procedures) are bosers. Tfhere is no need for the taxpayer ta suifer the Imposition of supporting (flnanciall) some 0f the ventures here n mentioned: oespoclally when there ls no return; or ln some cases maintenance and operatlng costa are disproportionate ta the number of taxpayers who use them. Lot us ai hope our gaod counicillors will be firm, and take prudent, accountablo action durIng the upcamlng budget talks. Maybe they could mako use 0f Heydonshare as a venue. Jlm Priesi Whltby Privatization can lessen civic.pridle To the editor: I fail ta sea the absalute positive. need to rush into the privatization of government services. Has the American modal of privatization been such a success that'we need ta run down that road? Services are privatizad because of the bulef that sameaéne aise wlll do the same job choaper. Is this a realistic bulief? - Normaffy when a service ls privatized, someone expects ta make a profit. That -profit comas from bow wages and benefits paid to warkers, less maintenance ta the infrastructure 0f systams involved. Privatization 0f services make governments bass raspansible and accounitable for the provision 0f' public services. Privatization can lessen peoples' civic commitment and civic pride ln aur cornmunity. It is àmy understarîding that some areas that have privatized services have had ta assume responsibilities for that service again. Are Canadians prepared ta NIe wvith the Amerncan example of urban 1fie? Joan Gatos Vice-president Rogion 3 Ontario Public Service Employoes Union THE HOSPITAL Prejud ice Sabotage