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CH seeks il % budget hike The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, December 19, 2006 - A3 By Stephanie Thiessen CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF (ont isItton 1 laiton aïl It)s âsl, ng t bu Rugiontîo lo k oser about t1 pe cetutntttore lundtîîg titan l.ist 'uar for iLs budget. 3 hu budget \va aS tiÇiovetd by tire hoardt nfi lictors at a meet- ing Novenmbur 30. It cais for $4,495,794 from tiattoit Rugion, whtch is about a hait* a million more than the previttus yucar. It migbî seemn tike a large pur- ceniage, but (H chair Brian Penmnan said ils flot a huge number ni dollars and stitl makes up iuss than nne per cent nf the Regions budget. And, bu said, the support is necessary. "its designed to bring us stowiy ancd sure>' into a healthier situation.' The totat amouni ni funding heing requested hy CH's sup- porting munîcipaities -which inuiudes Hatton and to a înucb smaitur degre Petl, Hamitton and Pusiinch - is $4,933,797, subjeut to approvai b> the watershued municipal couniis. Municipal iunding aucounts for 24 pur uent tif (ils total funding in its 2007 budget. tiser feus make rip the targesi potlion, xx'tth 43 pur cent of' tbe total lîînding. CH's totat u.\pencturus oui- licd in the 2007 budget aîrc $20,234,735. 3bits an inctuase of abotut S2.8 milion tiser tast \'iar nid icILL(ý tctiu t li,îtUlt)- po"ted 'tiic ntit tt.stpîti tIllu, tIttît LI ttptî o tc lp o- grtitslc tic cont-srvation tlts' andt (lien f cun Ski mtitt 1)nowsbîard ('eiiire, xx vtic atru suppoitteci targutv b>' user lues. It was atxît recomnmeniuc ai thu meeting tbat bue 2007 i>av ti Putrfcrmanice Poicu> purcui itagu rates lie adopteci basect lin put- centage rates oif 0 iii 4 pur cent. The 2007 budget repoîrt detaîts tbai among tire majoîr expenses are a bust practice rec- ommundation that CH add 2t staff pcositions over îbrec suars. For 2007, uîghî staff positions bave heen added. Atso, watershuci mainagemnent capital structures arc agîng and need reptacement ancd majolr upgrades. Punî-nau iîîic Thle Champion the 2007 budget is a rusutt oif many meetings wiîb ihe Region of Haitoit anci ibai a sîrîîîg reta- îionshîp bas beuti iîîrgud. CH bas been ciîwti a clîffîcut rcîad reccntx, Punînan saici, par- tîccîtariy atter the Proinme -cut every conservation authorityvs budget in hatl" in 1996. Ttîu envirtinnientat aguncv tîîund itsetf wîîb cteptutect reser-ves anci nil innv fot capi- tal picilecis, bc saîct. List suai, the Regîtît coin- irtec t i uppirîg uts suippot b,itmtst 25 per ceutt xxjc tuti x . litsI u ,tg 1i u .dic i oux sîituaîtionîî Iial cIlîîtlis Rvi týil il ntill u Iol.lt 'Li ,t it isî ini ýîtIa\o Gi (îrct Ki aniz xxastit ai tîc iiiecing, but saici tie citest iiîriiiat> suppoti ttreasus civer aiid abtîxe tc' iatt, tof inîflat ion. -Wîutci t support an i1t per cent tîcrease? No(î tikuiy, untess ibure were eircumsiances so pressing the wheuis are iikeiy ici faii oiff. I'm not sure thaïs tue case," Kranîz said. [le addud mnany coinservaticon authîtrities - inciudîng CH - are sîtit trying to rîgbî îhem- suives after the proîvince cul their iundîng. "We're sîîii trying to ptay catcb up. finfortunatuiy, uts on the backs tif the propurtv tax hase," bu saîd, umpbasizing the moot cause of' tbe targer-than- be'ît-tiku increasu îsn'î isînan- ageinuît lin tue part ni CHl Two board ineinhers present ai ttîe meeting - Bryan Lewis anti Bob Itîglîs, bott 1-laittîn Hilis ccîuîîcîitcrs - atso îîppîîsec the u nicipat iuîîdîng recuesieci. i'b butdget xs'tt bu prusented iito tic' Regitîn tif' i talt n i n janci.ti sîuptîîii f Itusttlii>"Si til c î'i t lit a lîîsuîluîit î lltit We appreciate your patronage, and wish you 1 and gour loved ones a Wonderftul Holidaqy Prebook your Ho ida Apoint: n Wa Il- c a