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-, ____________________________________ M!LTO~ ~u~uc L!~ (fl4w~i.À~ ~WM~MI ~*>4.*~yW A Metroland Community Newspaper Vol. 138 No. 84 Tuesday, December 16, 1997 32 Pages 75~ (GSTinciuded) Savoline expects Sales steady; property tax hike spectacular BRAD REAUME they're flot The Champion By KAREN SMITH Halton Chair Joyce Savoline says tax increases The Champion are required to accommodate provincial download- Miltonians aren't beating down local me nlsmn'~ stores' doors to shop this Christmas, but Halton Region must cut its budget nearly $8 mil- lion in order to produce a tax freeze for 1998, according to officiaI figures released by the province in a much-awaited announcement Friday. The Town of Milton is facing a $330.000 reduction in order to meet the promised goal of revenue neutrality. Municipal representatives are saying the guidelines them- selves make the provincial plan anytbing but revenue neutral. "Just because someone says it ia revenue neutral doesn't mean it is," said Ms Savoline. Halton Nortb MPP Ted Cbudleigb offered the belp of provincial staff to tind reduc- tions in local budgets. "Tf municipalities can't find the cuts, they can use the ser- vices of municipal experts sup- plied by the province, wbo will go une by line over budgets to find tbe fonds," said Mr. Chudleigh. Ms Savoline said ber experts could not make the plan rev- enue neutral and added that she expects a tax increase. She could not provide a possible range for the tax hike. "If there were municipal experts at ihe provincial level, we wouldn't be in this predica- ment," said Ms Savoline. "We'll take any grant money ihey give us but it is not sus- tainable." Tbe cuis represeni 1.7 per cent budget reductions to small Joyce Savolîne municipalities like Milton, 3.2 per cent to medium sized cen- tres such as Halton Region and four in Toronto and Ottawa. Mr. Chudleigb said the province removed ambulance services, public bealtb and cbild care from the strategy to pool Greater Toronto Area tax dollars. Only welfare and tub- sidized bousing remain to be pooled. "The announcemenis repre- sent a step in ibe rigbi direc- tion," said Ms Savoline. 'However, nothing in the provincial formulas allows for lie efficiencies and substantial cuis we have already found." Ms Savoline said Halton bas sec GET READY page 17 sales are reportedly steady. The majority of downtown merchants, as welI as department store managers, say sales are constant, but aren't breaking records. "It's been steady, but there's been no big rush yet," said Lesley Goertzen, opera- tor of Main and Martin Street women's designer clothing boutique Green Ginger. She added that ber maie customers tend to shop at the lasi minute - as late as December 23 and 24. Sales have been good and steady ai Canadian Tire, said generai manager David Shuvera. He said the Market Drive store has attracted customers witb special sales and draws for store merchandise. And be boped the recent snowfall bas put more people into the Cbristmas spirit 50 tbey wilI concentrate on wbat to put under their trees. Harris Stationary owner Steve Bonin described a different sort of sales pattem. He said shoppers seemed as if tbey were starting early. but Iben sales tapered off. - CHRISTMAS on page 17 Fund help stili needed The Cbrîstmas Bureau Fund continues 10 rise, but is stili well below the $20,000 goal. To date, $8.337 bas been donated to The Cbampion's Salvation Army fundraiser. Donations ensure ail Milton families bave a nice Christmas dinner and toys for the kids. There are no administration expenses wbatsoever associated witb the collection of the money. It ail goes directly to the Salvation Army for charitable work. In addition, toys may be dropped off ai the newspaper office. Donors will be given receipta for income tax purposes. To contribute, drop off donations by cash or cbeque (payable to Cbristmas Bureau Fund) at The Champion office, 191 MainStE. Bold robber hold up gas station in sarly evening Friday A bold robber held Up the Esso gas station on Martin Street early Friday nighi. The gun-toting culprit demanded money trom ihe maIe clerk afler entering the kiosk at 7:15 p.m., Halton Regional Police said. Tii. robber also ordered the clerk to hand over ciga- rettes before he tled in a small, clark blue vehicle with an undisclosed amouni of cash. Ho was ast seen dri- ving norhhbound on Hwy. 25. The robber s described as white, six-feet-taîl with a slim build. H. wore dark-coloured pants and a white scarf over hîs nose and mouth. No one was hurt. Scr&tch & WW You coutd irwt.nwiy wtn a ky~ Shopping Spree. Over $50oo tn pi4zes! Mtk siwi~ypsarchase of $I# .ri~ore Santa's litde helpers Aldan Young <lefi) and Brittany Stark, of the Milton Community Nursery School, hold juat a few of 1h. many toys 1h. school collected during their annual tay drive. The toys wIII go to the Salvation Army, to b. dlatrlbuted 10 Iess fortunale chlldren throughout town. Photo by GAAHAM PAINE j