BELLUZ Reaity Ltd. Simcoe Plaza Box 715 Terrace Bay Ontario POT 2Wo n - Office - 825-9393 aeRTE Home - 824-2933 Serendipity Gardens Cafe & Gallery Fully Licensed Birthday Discounts - Christmas Catering Open Daily at 11 a.m. Main Street 824-2890 ROSSPORT, ONT N Volume 47 No. 1 Monday, December 28, 1992 LERKACE RAY PUBLICLIBRARY The Terrace Bay-Schreiber Cws SUPERIOR SHORELINE INSURANCE LTD. We represent 8 different insurance companies so that we can get the best rates for you: Stand .50 cents incl. G.S.T. Liz Boutilier Broker - *Business } *Air Craft *Mobile Home 825-9492 Students at Schreiber Public School perform their Christmas Concert Dec. 17. More on page 2. Inside Happy New Year! Students sing Carols for Seniors..........0...2 Ride Safe, Ride Sobe'...........000003 Twas the Night After Christmas........4 North Shore Market PlACE........000005 9 Intrepid Snow- mobiler--give you Sled some i ES See & Township remains opposed to Section 63 by Darren MacDonald Staff Reeve Jim Ziegler says that Terrace Bay Council has no interest in implementing a tax reform plan that would see local residential and industrial taxes take a big hike. "As far as we're concerned, it's finished," says Ziegler. According to a study by the Ministry of Revenue, the pro- posed Section 63 tax reform would increase total residential taxes in Terrace Bay by $75,288, and industrial taxes by $92,917. Commercial taxes would decrease by $13,180, and taxes for apartment build- ings larger than six units would decrease by $21,095. The big winner if the tax reform is implemented would be James River Marathon. The pulp and paper company would see its total tax burden decrease by $589,372. However, total residential and commercial taxes in Marathon would increase by more than $440,000. The study was conducted after businesses in unorganized localities complained that they payed an unfair share of school board taxes. The municipalities of Mani- touwadge, Marathon, Terrace Bay and Schreiber agreed to the study on the condition that it wouldn't go past the initial Stage unless all four townships agreed. When the study was released last spring, the three townships and Marathon met again to discuss it. "When we looked at it, we saw there would be a tax increase for just about every- one," says Ziegler. Ziegler says he asked for a recess, and consulted other members of Council, who all agreed that it would be a "'mis- take" to pursue the matter any further. So he and Clerk-Treasurer Dave Fulton returned to the meeting and presented their position. The Mayor of Marathon and the Reeve of Manitouwadge were so upset, Ziegler says they stormed out of the meeting. The matter ended there until this past October, when James River President Bob Gregor sent MPP Gilles Pouliot a let- ter, complaining about the tax situation. In the letter, Gregor says that James River is being forced to pay "an inordinate and unfair amount of school taxes" because the four munici- palities cannot agree to call for a Section 63. "This situation is unjust," Gregor continues, "and abso- lutely cannot continue from our point of view, especially given the precarious economic posi- tion we find ourselves in. "We cannot afford to contin- ue to pay more than our fair share." "I don't think (James River) pays more than their fair share of taxes," says Ziegler. "No matter what tax structure you have, people don't like paying taxes. So somebody's going to be complaining." Ziegler says James River didn't stick up for Terrace Bay when it paid too much for the Thunder Bay Homes for the Aged. continued on page 7 r \ dee ER TERRACE BAY INSURANCE LTD. New Revised Auto & Property Rates We offer Mature Owners Discounts, Claims Free Discounts, Non Smokers Discounts & Alarm Credits SIMCOE PLAZA TERRACE BAY 825-3246 * Home * Business * Auto * Cottages * Recreational Vehicles * Etc. "TERRY O'NEILL a