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MILTON PUBLIC LIBRAR'ý; ZAKtpeg PHARMACY Milton's Independent Pharmacy Fm Mmy *10% Sm«ao ODseowt AI> Onla Pkm Accptd »U Dag bdoed Avabh IgAt MWe WerCm Weekend * Vn1~ 143 No. 4 Fridav. March 29. 2002 32 Pages $ 1.00 (GST included) ,-Ma1boeuf's eall for tax break gets no0 support at council --Fire that destroyed bamn Stil under investigation A mid-aftemoon tire Monday deslroyed a flve-storey barn on No. 15 Sideroad. The Milton Fire Departnsent responded to 5448 No. 15 Sideroad as about 3:30 p.m. and discovered a barn fuily engulfed in flames. Fireflghters took two hours to control Use blaze and remained on scene Usrougisous Use night to extinguish amail grass tires. The tire departmens is still investigasing Use cause of Use blaze, alUsough it isn't being treated as suspicious. No injuries were reported. "We don't have a dollar loss yet," sald Deputy Fire Cisief Dave Krantz. "The barn wtt bo be used to store chickent but it wtt empty as Use time. The owner of Use barn wtt home as Use trne of Use tire and someone driving by informed her amoke wtt coming out of Use barn. We're stili investigating." By RICHARD VIVIAN The Champion The Town's $1.3 million budget surplus from 2001 is gomng to reserve funds - despite unan- swered cais by one councillor to offer a partial refund to taxpayers. Counicillor Rick Malboeuf referred to thse surplus aa "over taxation" as Mondays coundcil meeting and put forward a motion ailocating $500,000 of it so reduce Ibis year's property taxes. The motion <lied, fadling to tind a seconder. 'II believe that as lest a portion of it (sur- plus funda) should be returned so the sax- payers," he told counicil, suggesting the tax levy be reduced from tse interimi property tax bills. 'he key source of tse surplus wtt build- ing permit revenues, which actually pulled in $1.7 million more than expected. But $120,000 more Usan estimated was spent on legal fees (mostly Ontario Municipal Board challenges), $160,000 lesst han expected wtt collected from tax penalties, $283,000) of payment-in-lieu revenue wasn't realized and road work went over budget by $93,600 - Use major contribusors Usas reduced Use surplus to $l.3 million. "lLet's ise clear about where Usas money (surplus) came from. Tise Milton taxpayers didn't supply Use surplus," said Councillor John Challinor. "We're going so be using uas money 50 tix our (town's) smile, to provide parka and oUser amenities." Added Town CAO Maxio Belvedere, "The (building permit) revenue alto reflects Use Magna plant of a haif Million square feet. 1 Usink Use building permit fées were around $800,000, $900,000." As Use meeting, surplus funds were aplit between several Town reserves ($200,000 for Use growth related resources, $l00,000 for Use legal reterve, $100,000 for Use municipal building components reserve, $118,000 to Use non-residential develop- mens charges reserve and $278,000 to Use capital works reserve), wiUs $204,000 in ailowance for bad debta - leaving I belleve t at le"u a porton ofift (Mrmupu ft.d) sbudbe reUrned to the $300,000 to carry forward so this year. With the money set in reserves, Councillor Barry Lee immediately asked for $160,000 from the capital works reserve so repair a large isole in the road on Guelph Lmne, near No. 20 Sideroad. "This is a good way of givmng the money back to the taxpayers," Mr. Lee said, adding the section of road is particularly dangerotis. Council approved the project, sending it so Town staff for more detailed analysis of the work required. Staff have already heen looking mnto the issue, suggesting the $160,000 price tag as an appropniate figure. Comment ......6-71 NIS Report ....... 8 A&E ........... 18 Dateline ....... 19 Sports ......21-26 Classifiled .... 27-29 Vol 143 No 4 Fridav. March 29, 2002 32 Pages