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Al12 - The Canadian Champion, Fniday, Decemoar 16, 2005 Versatile, 2-imm-1 Tui-7nnag Residents voice opposition .tfrom MUNICIPAL on page Al lisser Bise 1ill pret, whc I rant the Town re cive. citt sepat ,te levs int iite budget. "If that (moneyl can't bc t(tufd in a $40 million budget, we ail have a big problem.' he said. Operating and capital budgets approved In addition 10 endorsing the Town's tiperating budget that brings about the three per cent tax increase. eouncil also apprîîved the capital budget and 21X)7 to 20)15 fîtrecast. Both the capital and tîpet- ating budgets cttîtain abotut $40 milliton of expenditures foîr 2(X)6. Town Dîrecttîr tif' Corputrate Services and Treasurer Jtm McQucen îîutlined lthe matît teins drtiviîîg up the operating budget next year. inciuding ait additittnal $t millioîn nceded fi- staff com- pensaition,. $361À),() tmore tîcces- sary tît cover debt charges and over $200011X to go toward risîng utili- ey ost. Stîme of the major rîîad and tacility projects in the capital budg- et include $12 million foîr the Thompstîn Rîîad recuonstruction trom Main Street East tut Britannia Road, $1.5 million for w.ork on Lower Base Lîne between Trafalgar Road and Regional Road 25, almost $7 million for the Town Hall expanision and $4.2 million 10 build a parking garage for the new Town Hall and downtosvn visitors. During the budget committee meeting, two motions were put for- ward to make changes lu the capi- tal budget -tone being from Ward 4 Cîtuncîlîsîr John Challinor tut deicte a $4115,(111) expetîdîture t( ) purchase a ries' Milton Transît bus aîid the tîther trtîm Ward 1 Coîtticltir Rîck Day to abuili the Year u lhutdoei Mr. Challiior satd he doesn't tee) the bus is needed at this point, not- îng he alsît isn't satisfîed with the information counicîl bas been pro- vided on the traînsit service. But fcllosv Ward 4 councîllor Ms Schau disagrced wîth removing the itemn from the budget. "I want to sc us continue to invest ni transit." she said. "1 think a protgressive cîîmmunity bas a g(itd bus service." While Mr. (hallinor's motiton gariiercd tlie sutpport t'roîm the majîîrîty of' counicil members, Mr. Day's didn't prove tut be so suc- cessful. fie argued that the Losvcr Base L.îne pruijeet, which wull involve replacing twlî tne-lane deteriorat- îng bridges, is "strictly staff and consultant-driven." "No residents uif the town want thîs projeet. Not residents from the Townî oif O,îkvîlle want this pruti- cet," he said. But Dîrector of Engineering Services Paul Cripps said he'd "leel very, very uncomfortable"' recommendîng the bridges stay in their current condition. -They are deteriorating. If we don't do something with these bridges, they're going to have 10 closed," he said. Some residents unhappy During the meeting, counicillors also heard trom Milton resident Mike Grimsvood. He suggested, amouîg other thîngs. lui reduce the Milîton Cîmnimuiîity Fund by $251100 and tîtstead use those dollars ttî make up toi- the reductîttî iii a proîvincial iii Jt gî1effCrnui tllîl i Xjjc sl said. Be also took issue with the $25,478 increase in the 'mayuîr and council' section of the budget in the salaries and benefits catego- ry. "I feel that that doesn't send the right message tut the community," Mr. Grimwood said. Mr. MeQucen explained that number is actually related 10 bene- lits. nuit salaries. Be saîd the increase relleets gtuing from an estimate tb the actual cîîst of bene- lits. Mr. Gnimwood, whîî's also the presîdent tif the Miltoîn Rural Resîdents Association, told The Champion while the citizens' group haso't taken an agreed stand on the budget, he believed that there would be general agreement the tax increase was disappointing. The Milton Ratepayers Association was also left lest than thrilled with the Town's 2006 budget. "Our stand is there is room. for a zero per cent tax increase," said association president Kevin Brackley Wednesday in an inter- view with The Champion. He noted there were cost savings that could've been implemented, such as Mr. Day". suggestion 10 eut the Lower Base Line projeet. Be said members from the asso- ciation are hoping 10 speak at Milton council's meeting Monday nighft lin the issue. Me/tite He,înes ev cai; fIe rt'ttt/ed ilS nhetîtese)Inttî if:W î-'r AN DES9e NOW'Q [SES $0«70 -009s 1 B e PRiCE - ARANTEE Buy Now