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6 economist suntribune thursday july 18 2002 stouffville tribune a metroland community newspaper 9 heritage rd markham ont l3p 1m3 publisher iar 1 proudfoot editor in chief debora kelly director of advertising debra weller editor jim mason classified manager ann campbell production manager pam nichols retail sales manager stephen mathieu distribution manager barry black inside sales manager stacey allen electronic communications manager john futhey business manager robert lazurko office manager vivian oneil editorial municipalities facing infrastructure repair woes much of york regions infrastructure was built at little cost to taxpayers in the subdivisions that dominate the local landscape roads sidewalks sewers and water pipes were funded by development charges during the 1980s and early 90s developers also paid for community and recreation cen tres civic buildings and libraries as well feder alprovincial job creation projects built arenas railway overpasses and road improvements with the municipality paying a third of the tab much of the infrastructure built to serve expanding populations is in dire need of repair including buildings recreation facilities and equipment and computer systems crumbling sidewalks worn roads and aging community centres could cost our municipalities millions of dollars over the next few years many municipalities have been slow to face the problem and since its coming in hand with downloading costs they could be headed for a major cash crunch richmond hill was one of the first in york region to raise the alarm its council wisely instituted a repair and replacement fund to cover maintenance costs and has put 6 mil lion into it every year the problem is its now paying out 15 million a year in 1999 the toronto board of trade issued a report warning deteriorating infrastructure was a threat to quality of life in the gta then york region was flush with fairly new infrastructure and was more concerned about getting ever more facilities to keep pace with growth but now the crisis is affecting munici palities that first experienced the boom markham is confident its plan applying the first 25 per cent of all assessment revenue it collects from new residential commercial and industrial development to maintenance and supply programs will meet its needs in the future this year markham applied 125 mil lion in taxes to capital programs 500000 more than last year some municipalities are hoping the federal or provincial government will step in it seems unlikely and ultimately most of the funding for repairs will come from taxpayers the toronto board of trade suggested pub licprivate sector partnerships could help this option should be explored municipal governments have to devise real istic longterm plans to fund repairs and replacements with minimum impact on tax payer and be honest about what is required letters policy opinion letters to the editor full council should make decision on stouffville town hall re mayor wants arts groups on old halls main floor tribune july 11 when did wwtchurchstouffville council disappear or has it just decided not to shoulder its responsibilities for the planning of this town is the mayors proposal for an arts and cultural centre an antisherban election ploy before the mayor speaks again can the public have from council an uptodate con sultant report on the condition of the old town hall taking into consideration the reports that are available to the public and can council also provide taxpayers with a business plan for the mayors pro posed project lets be sure that mayor emmersons plans wont become a burden for taxpayers if the arts and cultural centre cant pay its own way i am certainly not against culture have- ing been immersed for my lifetime in this milieu lets have some input from council mem bers on this matter after they have consult ed with their constituents and lets make it democratic not a one- man decision in a oneman town margaret l may stouffville drivers bad attitude means hell continue to be hassled re no law can force me to be considerate to other drivers letter to the editor by eric a wolf july 13 sir you do not get it not only was your letter arrogant and self- righteous it was a reminder of the type of person our society finds unacceptable it is because ofpeople like you that there is a need for laws and regulations unfortunately certain people find the need to have common sense blatantly pointed out to them it is quite clear that you do not have a fami ly of your own because i doubt a man with an understanding of unloading a stroller in the rain while holding a twoyearold would write such a letter regarding a mere parking spot reserved for parents with children i suppose you have no regard for expec tant mother parking spots either when it gets to the point that a sign is needed to instruct people to behave decently it is not only a reflection on society but the people we as parents are producing chivalry may be dead in richmond hill sir but it is alive and well in markham and unionville i suggest that unless you have a child in arms you are guaranteed to be has sled for your behaviour tbaird unionville stouffville tribune welcomes your letters all submissions must be less than 400 words and must include a daytime telephone number name and address the newspaper reserves the right to publish or not publish and to edit for clarity and space write letters to the editor 9 heritage rd markham ont l3p1m3 email letters0ecortuncom stouffville tribune serving the community since 1888 hsu dde inadlan circulations i canadian circulations audit board member ontario press council canadian publications mail product sales agreement 1403419 subscription rates by mall 1 year 6955 thursdays only stouffville tribune published every thursday and saturday is one of the metroland printing publishing and distributing ltd group of newspapers which includes the ajavpickerlng news advertiser alliston heraldcourier barrle advance barrys bay this week bolton enterprise brampton guardian burlington shopping news burlington post city parent collingwoodwasaga connection east york mirror erin advocatecountry routes etobicoke guardian flamborough post georgetown independentacton free press kingston this week lindsay this week midlandpenetangulshene minor milton canadian champion milton shopping news mississauga news newmarket- aurora georgina erabanner northumberland news north york mirror oakvllle beaver oakville shopping news orillia today oshawawhitbyclaringtonport perry this week peterborough this week richmond hillthomhillvaughan liberal scarborough mirror stouffville tribune todays seniors uxbrldge tribune and city of york guardian phone sx5 6402612 fax 905 2941538 classified 18007433353 distribution 9052948244 distributionteonsuncom telephone 905 2942200 416 7987624 fax 905 2941538 email newsroomeconsuncom debora kelly lack of values root of credibility crisis you arent really surprised to find out some ceos and cfos are the moneygrubbing scum- sucking lying corporate dogs you always knew they were are you surely you needed no real proof these kings of capitalism appropriate millions for their own benefit every chance they get yet somehow north america has been plunged into a socalled crisis of credibility with the array of scandals that have hit corporate america undermin ing investor confidence and threatening economic stability here we are not immune to the loss of faith in auditors and corporate man agement we too share joe americas revulsion of the corporate gluttony and accounting hanky panky we too are demanding a scourge on unscrupulous capitalists certainly toughening laws and establishing regulations is an appropri ate reaction to prevent the enrons and worldcoms from happening again this must also be about what is right rather than simply what is legal executives who break the law must be punished but with laws alone ceos and cfos with a bent to do so will sim ply figure out what they can get away with whats needed is a measurable dis play of values and ethics throughout corporations top to bottom a major attitude adjustment you might say corporate york region is undoubted ly plagued by employees padding expense accounts pilfering supplies chatting on personal calls or surfing the net on company time or calling in sick to take a little r r its petty stuff in the face of the executive misdeeds but its fraud and its theft nonetheless employees might justify their actions in thinking the big greedy corporate daddy who is raking in the cash regard less of the companys performance owes them arent weentitled to our piece of the action as small as it may be that sense of crooked entitlement is the true crisis in corporate credibility not inventive accounting methods no corporation in north america has been left untarnished by the scandals which means all executives must go out of their way to demonstrate integrity it wont be assumed anymore the crisis in confidence presents an opportunity for companies to come clean not only on accounting methods but on character now is the time for honesty fairness transparency inclu- siveness empathy purpose and courage these are values all employees must share in york region already a character community businesses have an oppor tunity to embrace the initiative in a very public manner by making a commitment to what is right not just legal corporations can regain the credibility lost with not only investors but employees