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ZAKS IPHARMACYWI IMltonsendseedent Pharmatyl M A Dnag Plus Asseted WelIte Orug Inomalion Avei "At Zaka W.i Cir. About Your H.alt" L70 Main St. E. 875-2424 A Metroland Community Newspaper *Vol. 141 No. 9 Friday, Aprnl 14, 2000 32 Pages 48Leuri.rAv$. 7828 $ 1.00 (GST included) Halton budget brings good news, bad news Only $5 tax increase in budget this year, but bigger hike projected for 2001 Photo by GRAHAM PAINE VBlossoming awareniess Aprîl la bloomlng wlth daffodils as the Canadian Cancer Society kicks off Ils annuel fundraislng drive for Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer survîvor and society volun- teer Joan Gervais shows off the flower that helpu fund research ta end the deadly diseuse. By IRENE GENTLE Thse Champion Halton residents wilI Iikely pay just under $5 more in property taxes this year in a Regional bud- get that's a classic good news, bad news story. Thse good news is thse Region has escaped increaaing its portion of property taxes for six years running, sand Halton's deoN is at its lowest in over 20 years. The bad news is reserve levels are falling and tax increases in thse ares of 2 per cent, police services included, will likely arise next year. And new debt will likely be taken on in the near future as the Region struggles to cope with pooling costa, sucb as social housing and GO Transit. "Social housing - no one's building it," explained Halton's manager of budgets Rob Rossini. "Thse housing problemn ian't «,Allendale volunteers honoured By LISA CARTWRIGHIT The Champion The reasonis people volunteer are as var- ied as the people tbemselves, but ail were honoured at the Allendale Reception for Volunteers Tuesday as part of National Volunteer Week. 1I like working witb thse residents," said I 2-year-old Alsyna Bymes who was been volunteering as Allendale for about a year. ..l help thse residents go places and do things.", Ms Byrnes visita thse Ontario Street long-term-care facility tbree times s week. She said she recommends ber fiiends go "because itls fun and *you are always doing something.", e ses KIRK on page 11 "Social housing - no one's building it. The houslng probiem isn'tjust going to go away. Right now, we're 100 per cent on the hook for housing." just going to go away. Rîght now, we're 100 per cent on thse hook for housing." And paying for recently downloaded roads, such as the former highways 5 and 25, will put additional pressure on upcom- ing budgets. But even with additiot'al progrsms in ambulance services, public health, social hiousing and waste management, thse Region's portion of the 2000 tax bill will go down by .6 per cent if thse $187 million budget put forth t0 several regional com- * ses STILL UNCERTAINTIES page 8 Comment........ 6 NS Report........ 8 A&E ........ 18-19 Datolns ....... 30 Sports ...... 23-25 Classifiled .... 26-29 .Feber.5h***meft * laiero* "urhg - ce" awe CrIateles* Mi M ea a FoodS Saaic* a IA * aCondfi* ire * Home Hardware* - SATURDAY APRIL 15. *Seare Whole home - No Fr1118 @rscem s only 45 Ontario, St. N.1 drlveway not of7Main St MILTON AUTO COLLISIO e Lffetime Warranty on Paint - .5 Year Warranty e Insurance Preferred Shop "We'iI make your body beautful0" 555 main St. E. Unit 11-12ii ilvi st8&Ml I ~WedWe'~ *aU or âmrm~