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The Canadien Champion, Fniday April 30, 1999 - 15 Tax bump coming Group counsels women on choices . from INCREASE on page 1 a clearer pictute oh tise oserait tax impact, though hard figures have yet to be finalized by staff. "We're atill working on the tax rates," sad Town treasurer Jim McQueen. "They will be presented to council on May 17. At that lime, we'Il have final bottom line figures and final impacts on ail classes of property." The local picture could have been worse. Milton had a cusît- ion of roughly $200,000 thanks to a two per cent tax cut by Halton Region, announced last week. Without that tax room, Milton's average tax levy - that is the average of ail property classes - would bave risen by 4.9 per cent. Witb the regional cut built in, that goea down to one per cent. Town staff faced several obstacles in drawing up the budget this year. One of the largest was the bass of Milton's Community Reinvestment Fund (CRF) grant. The grant was devised by the Province to belp regions and municipalities cope with down- loading coats. The $658,000 reduction in Milton's CRF would have hiked taxes by 7.5 per cent if it bad been directly passedl on to taxpayers. "We're flot proposîng tbat in our budget," assured Town CAO Mario Belvedere. Instead, staff bas reduced its contributions to reserve funds by $475,000. Increased revenue from user fees plus $70,000 in new prop- erty taxes due 10 business growth helped balance the books for the year. Staff came to committee armed with a budget freeze as well as budgets showing one per centt and two per cent increasea. Councillor Lieven Gevaert recommended the frozen bud- get, which waa voted down without discussion ait a Town administration and finance committee. Councillor John Challinor then recommended approving the one per cent budget hike. That won the support of Councillor Rick Malboeuf. "I'd like to see the commnittee recommend the one per cent increase simply because of the firefighter part," he said. "I understand our overtime coats are very high. This may be a way 10 reduce coats there." Thougb hiring three new fire- fighters would be a step towards eventually baving a full-time, around the dlock fire service in Milton, it wilI not likely help reduce overtime costs, said Fire Chief Harold Penson. "The three people will assiat in many areas. It will enhance our daytime reaponse," hie sald. "Il will have some impact on the over time but I'm not sure it will be a big impact." Mayor Gord Krantz wamned counicillors flot to get 100 car- ried away over what hie tenned a good news budget for 1999. "I want to get aIl warm and fuzzy about it too, but there's another year coming," hie sald. Beefing up services such as fire can lead to big bucks down the road, he warnied. Councillor Rick Day attempted to draw attention to the good newa of the day. "OnIy the financial depart- ment can take such exciting news as a $320,000 grant and an increase in industrial asseos- ment and make if sound bor- ing," he said. The Canadian Federation of University Women Milton & District... .. nvites ail University Women Graduates to attend "Cancer Therapies, Past, Present & Future". Nursing Prof. Denise Bryant - Lukosius will be presenting. Please join us at 8:15 p.m., Thursday May 6, 1999 at Hughi Foster Hall. For more details cail 336-5519. ADVERTISEMENT Yeaàr 2000 By now evaryone bas heard of tise Y2K bug and abat il nit do ta tise woutd. But tisera la anoibar proftera ibat as going ta bappan aitt tia turTslng of tisa millanlurn and tt is a asoflage ai chsampagne for ail thse New Veara Eve parjtis awi be hap- pening. Wtb thas abattage l'an aura willinm a prica incrasaas awaf. Hawavar, tisera as a way around ibis. At Hogstsaad you caa malte your chanmpagnie for your New Vears party ai a traction oi the pnica ibat if aili coat you ta buy ai tise LCBO. 1 also bava a special aditian year 2000 beffle ior your chsampagne or your aine. For the i- tanisan Hogsisead la also offering a liaited edition apattding lca aine tisai wauld be a greai addition ta a New Vears party ar a apadial keepake moments for you and your friands. Ai Hogasead we do customized labela inctuding aillenium labels for yaur aine orcisamapagne tisai ai make a great addition ta anyanaes tabla oraspecial avent. Labels oaa be done in ornat quantifies as watt as larg anas. Tisa sooner you malte your chsampagne tise baffer if wilt be for New Veara. Sa cama ta Hogsbead new aad we an tank afiar yaur chamapagne, aine, beer, and aine coolar needa. Spaciata for May: Red ine =Beaujolais Whsite Wine = Leibfraumics and Whsite Zinfandel Please wafcis for our nadt column appeaning Fnday, May l4ts HOGSHEAD ]BRIEW CILUB Darren 100 Ni pi saing Rd. 878-2646 Goortzen Unit #1 1, Milton gaartzan@gblseva.nt - from VEARS on page 9 Bîrthright as an ant-abortion group, and anti-abortion groupa think Birthright is wishy-waahy because of ils lesa than force- ful stance agalnst abortion, Ms Plants said. Whlile it's the organization's pbilosophy that every pregnant woman bas the rigbt to give birth and it's the right of every cbild 10 be bomn, the decisions of ail clients are respected, Ms Platts said. "Birtbright's phîîosophy is based on the value of bumnan life," obe said. "However, volunteers are committed not to impose their values on the woman, nor to force ber inb a 'Pro-life' decision. What a woman wilI receive ait Birtbrigbt is an experience of love and concem." Operated solely by volunteers witb financial assistance from private donations and gifts from local cburcbea, Birtbrigbt Milton opened in 1984 at 225 Maln St. E., Suite 9. Volunteers were just carrying in a desk, wondering bow long it would take for peo- ple 10 know the office was open, wben the pbonterang. A young woman womred by a possible pregnancs' h.td herrd Birthri c'ht .'s t. place that couid help, Ms Plans said. An appointment was made for a free pregnancy test and follow-up counselling in the areas in wbicb abe needed assis- tance. That was tbe beginning of Birtbrigbt in Milton and in the years tbat bave passed, bundreds bave found support. Annually, Birthrigbt receives an average 200 caîla from pregnant women, mostly teenagers. Referrals to agancies 0f those callers, leas than baîf tum out to be pregnant, Ms Planta sad. "Not everyone wbo finda themselves in a criais pregnancy wanta 10 abort," Ms Platts said. "For some a little belp ia ahl that is need- ed to carry tbeir baby to term. And Birtbrigbt will do everytbing il can to pro- vide that belp." In addition to referrals to local agencies like tbe Cbildren's Aid Society, T.E.A.M. and pre-nabal classes, Birthright bas mater- nity clothes and layettes ait ils office ready for pick-up. The needa vary and eacb case Most volointeers work in tise otfice anawering the telephone and counselling tbose in need, Ma Plants said. "Every kid thinks their parents are going te, kilI tbem, but we know tbey will usually get over il eventually," abe said. Others bave been put in a position by the father of the cbild to eitber have an abor- lion or ]ose bim, according 10 Ms Plants. Birtbright International celebrates 30 years assisting women with criais pregnan- cies. Founded in 1968 in Toronto, the organization now bas 600 centres operat- ing worldwide, serving more than 28,000 women eacb montb. Founder Louise Summerbili, a busy mother of seven berself, wanted to offer belp 10 pregnant and distressed women. With others wbo sbared ber vision, she fonned Birthrigbt 10 assiat tbose wbo want 10 carry their pregnancies to term. Frorn the outset, services bave been pro- vided confidentialîy and without charge. -I think it's a terriflc place where we can really empower women 10, do wbat tbey want 10 do," Ms Platns ald. Canadian Pacific Railway Class Environmental Assessment New East West Access Roadway, North of CPR Gait Subdivision, Trafalgar Road to Eighth Line, Town of Milton NOTICE 0F COMPLETION In May 1998, Canadian Pacific Railway initiated an Environmental Assessment Study to address access requirements for proper- ties along Eighth Line, north of the existing Canadian Pacific Railway mainline. Alternate access is required to alleviate traffic delsys at the existing at-grade crossing resulting from train movements in the area. Based on public input and detailed analysis, a recommended access roadway alignment has been identified. Thsis project bas been carried out under Scbedule 'B' in accordance with the Class Environmental Asseasment for Municipal Road Projects (Class EA). A Project File has been prepared and by this Notice is being placed on public record for a 30-day review peri- od. Subject to the commenta received as a resuît of the Notice and the receipt of the necessary approvals, CPR intends to proceed with the implementation as outlined in the Project File. The Project File is available for review at the location shown below. Town of Milton Clerk'a Office Town of Milton Public Library Victoria Park Square 45 Bruce Street Milton, Ontario Milton, Ontario L9T 4B6 L9T 2L5 Hours: Mon. to Fn. 8:30 arn. to04:30 p.m. Hours: Tues. to Thurs. 10:00 arn. to 9:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday 10:00 arn. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. For furiber information, please contact: Mr. Tim Yamashita, P. Eng. Mr. Scott Bowers, P. Eng. Project Manager Project Engineer Canadian Paciftc Railway McCormick Rankin Corporation 1290 Central Parkway West, Suite 708 2655 North Sheridan Way Mississauga, Ontario L5C 4R3 Mississauga. Ontario L5K 2P8 Telephone: (905) 803-3319 Telephone: (905) 823-8500 Fax: (905) 823-8503 lnterested persons may provide written commenta to the Town Clerk witbin 30 calender days from the date of the Notice, If con- cerna regarding Ibis project cannot be reaolved in discussion witb CPR. a person may request that the Miniater of Environruent *'bump-up" thia project to an individual environmental assesament. "Bump-up" requesîs must be received by the Minister at the following addresa by Friday May 28, 1999. A copy of the "bump-up" request shahl be sent t0 Canadian Paciftc Railway. If no "bump-up" request is received by May 28, 1999, the project will be implemented as outlined in the Project File. Honourable Norman W. Sterling Minister of the Environment lStb Fl oor, 135 St. Clair Avenue Weat Toronto, Ontario M4V I P5 This notice isaued April 28, 1999. TOWN 0F MI LTON REGION 0F HALTON