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6-TeCOMMENT +THE CANADIAN CÎIMPIoN Box 248, 191 Mai Milton, Ont. L9' (905) 8784: Editorial Fax: 905- Advertising Fax: 905- Classified: 905- Circulation: 905- Ian Oliver Neil Oliver Jili Davis Karen Smth Wendy McNah Steve Crozier Teri Casas Tim Coles Asnes Adn'ert Cirnuli fn St. E., The Canadiani Champion, publishedi every Tusday and Frîday an 191 T 4N9 Main St. E. Miltoq, Ont. L9T 4N9 (Box 248). s one of The Metroland Printing, Pulishing & Distrbutitg [tcl gtoup t sutiorban copanues which includes: Aax/Pickering News Aderiser, Aliston Heradonurier Barrie 234 1 Advance, Boten Enterprise, Brampton Goardian, Burlington Post, Burlington Shopping News, City Parent, Cty ut Yrk Oiarian, ClIlingwnnd/Wasaga Connecion, East York Mitror rin Advocate/Country Rouies, Etohicoke i-878-4943 Guandian, Famhnrnugh Post, Flambnrniigti Review, Frever Yng, -7-34 Genrgetown tnidepenidentiActnn Fee Press, Haltnn Bsness Times. Huennia i-7-34 Business Times, Lndsay Thiîs Week, Mrkham Economisi & Son, -7-30 MilandPenetanguistiene Mrror Cioiohnpping News, Missssauga 5-7-30 Business Times, Misinauga Neuws, Napanne Guide, Nassaganeya News, -878-5947 Newman>itAurnra Era-Banner, Northumberlandi News. Northn YnrkiMir hakvitte Beaver, Oakile Shnpping News, Otdimers Hockey News, Onîllia Publisher lnday, Oshuwa/WhitbylaringtonnPor Perry This Week, Petertboroughn This Week, Pîctnn Cnunty Guide, Ricmnnd Hillfhntnhitt/Vaugtîan Lîherat, Sct-r jcate Publis/rer-torough Mîror Stottoille/Sntoidge Tribune. dao-nC ef Adertisinig s accepted nn thn cnnditionn bat. n the event ut a typo- Eio-nCif graphital errnr, hat portionnofthte aduertising space uccupied by te eruo Editr nenus item, tngether nlh a reasonabte alnwance tnr signature, wil nt 8e tiigM ngrchatged for, bt the baance nf the adertîsement wîtt be paid tnr athe appli- ongM ngrcabte rate. The pîîhiînher renemves the rght Cn categnrine aduertîsements r fation Manager dine. Office Manager Pronduct ion Manager The Milto Canadian Champion in a Reeciable Pradeet Budget and election could collide in fal Let's face it, nobody likes tax hikes. There's a potential local tax increase of 5 per cent - or about $30 per household assessed at an average of $250,000 - Iooming for 2004. 0f course, this is only a forecast and it could change a number of ways by the time counicillors vote for it in December or January. But those two months - December and January - are interesting to note because by that point Milton will have a new town council. Municipal elections will be held November 10 and there's probably no reason flot to think that candidates will use the budget as some sort of election issue. Elections can be tough. With voter tumout typically in the low to mid-30 per cent range, candidates wilI want to use every bit of ammu- nition to secure precious votes. If some do jump on the election ship and try to ride it promising a zero tax increase, be forewarned. Municipalities across Ontario are fac- mng budget constraints, like through provincial downloading. A tax base can only take a municipality so far in keeping costs down. So let's not hear rhetoric. Candidates thinking of budget electîoneering should have construc- tive ideas to keep budget increases down. Welcome to politics. OUR READERS WRITE Reader doesn'-t thînk corner of Thompson Road and Steeles Avenue was planned weII by Town (The following letter was sent to Wrd 4 Counu illor Jo/an Challinor and a copy was flled with The Champion.) Dear Editor: I read with interest the article in Uhe July 15 edition of The Canadian Champion about the Childs Drive couple thai have concemns about safety with regard to the business that backs onto their property. Mr. Challino, you stated that Milton plans better now than 30 years ago and "no longer plans light industrial sectors and residential neighbourhoods side-by-side- Please explain whaî planning went into thc corner of Thompson Road and Steeles Avenue where those people now breathe exhaust fumes 24/7 plus lubricant, etc. fumes when both businesses are open. This taxpayer/resident wishes to see a council that pots our safety/health as priority above its cash flow. That corner was devel- oped what, fOve years ago. not 30. What assurances are there that council won'î allow anything simi- lar again? Judy Swainson Elliott Cresceni Letters welcome The Canadian Champion welcomes lelters toalte editor. We reserve the right to edit, revise, and reject leflers. Letters must be signed and the address and the telephone number of the writer included. E-mail let- ters to miltoned@haltonsearch.corn, fax to (905) 878-4943 or drap thern off atour office, 191 Main St. E. Help pre vent bike thie ves from stealing kids' smiles No news is good news. When it cornes 10 major ncws nctworks, that scems to bc truc ail too oftcn. Ive realized that more than ever wiUi thc sur- prising number of tirnes Milton bas made it onto various newscasts this pasi month - first wiUi thc E. coli outbreak, and more rccently with this wceks Uieft of 19 BMX bikes used for a kids' special nceds program. Ycs, as you may have gucssed, this monUi 1'I1 address Uic latter. And lIlI make no attempts t0 bide thc fact that this month Fin making a sharne- less appeal for money. Finm hopmng 10 pull some heartstrings by telling you a bit about my cxpcri- ences interviewing those involvcd wiUi thc Riders Ready BMX programn. First of ail, Jet me introduce to you a special lady by Uic naine of Nicky Pearson, who startcd Uic BMx programn four years ago. Wbcn 1 visited r Nicky Wednesday, she was still incredibly dis- traugbt ovcr Uic Uicft sbe'd just found out about. Ali 19 working BMX bikes in a irailcr at Uic Milton race track were stolcn. 1 was impressed wiUihcr tenacity. Ms Pearson bad no intention of folding up and gomng home. Her attitudc was whatevcr shc needcd to do to rcbuild Uic program, she'd do. It was obvious she'd formcd a special bond wiUi Uic 25 children - most who have autism- who are part of Uic prograrn. "I cant go more Uian two wceks wiUiout Uiesc kids," she told me wiUi cmotion. She spoke of Uic many chalenges these kids have, and said Uis is Uic last Uing Uiey need. Wben 1 spoke wiUi Janice Spicer, a parent of a cbild i Uic programt, she told me Uic services autistiecildren need arent covered by Uic provincial govemment. Most of these parents arc eash-slrapped, she said, as ticy pay for treat- Ar ments, and cant afford to boy Uieir1 bikes. Arn I getting to you? Milton bas a long reputation of lolk its own, and t know ti re will be m Lets rcacb deep into aur pockcts ani smiles back on those cbildrens faces. Donations ta Uic Riders Ready BME can be madc at any TD Canada Trust branch. The account number is 5204157. As a sidc note - bere at Thc Champion, I'm able to covcr a variety of types of stories. 0f course, there wiIl always be Uic somber storics on eound crime and accidents - even Mfilton has ils share. In tUiose cases, no news is good news. to 'n ]But my jobs aiso to deliver good news stories thUi stories of Miltonians who are douag inter- estusg, heroic or unusuai tbings. Those are Uic stonies Uiat give me, as a reporter, a daily pick- kids 13NX me-up. 1 hope its Uic sarne for you. If you know somebody who fits into Uiat category, please dont hesitate to e-mail me. king out for Hopefully, lFil soon be writmng a good-news no différent. story about a bunch of twinly-eyed kids bock on id belp put their bikes. Stephanie Thiessen can be reached at X programn sthiessenc4miltoncanadianchampion.com. i ........ .......