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from last vear 's heavy spow A Metroland Community Newspaper «Using Communication to Build Better Communities" Vol. 144 No. 77 Tuesday, December 9, 2003 48 Pages $ 1.00 (GST included) helping hand Food drive volunteer Rachasi Veratraste, 10, loade up boxes of food r under the chin of friand u5 Lauren Furik 10, durlng 1' 4 Saturday's Flreflghters Food Drive for the Salvation Army. The two are daughters of memn- bers; of the local Kinsmen Club, a co- sponsor of Vhu annuel event. The drive collect- ed 14,552 pounds of food. Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Savoline catis for end to pooling of tax dollars in council inauguýration speech Coment.... By JASON MISNER The Champion Three-timne Halton Chair Joyce Savoline says the region's quality of life risks being hampered by a systemn that pools taxpayers' dollars to help pay for social services in Toronto, and it must be re-tooled. Ms Savoline was swon in alongside 20 other regional counciliors - five of them new - a: an .naguration cesemony Wednesday in ber speech she lamented the pooling system and that upper levels of governments must corne to thse aid of thse municipalities in Greater ToSnto dha psy into it. "Over the last five years, Halton taxpayers, tbroughi pooling, have contributed nearly $230 million dol- plugram hn Toronto, herc lras foroi sec chalaperson told the crowd of approximately 150 fam- joyce Savoflne ily memibers, friends and supporters dressed i their Sunday's best i Coumcil Chambers as the Bronte Road beadquarters. "Let me ha clear. Halton does hanefit directly from a bealthy Toronto and a healthy Hamnilton. Yet, wbile Halton enjoys financial bealtis, our resi- dents cannot continue to bare the heavy tax burden caused by social service pooling, support for social bousing and the ivestmnents required i road and transit systems to alleviate gridlock. "The current level of pooling bas reached a point wbere it is no longer sustainable and bas hagun to impact and undennine the quality of life for Halton's own residents." Part of the solution, she said, must corne from a "new deal" that bas haen talked about hatween the federal and provicial govemments - both con- veniently of tie Liharal stripe - to help nmici- - e QUALITY on page 20 I M