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8 WSImâ€"W- Sam Feb. 143009 FIGHT OVER I“ DISEASES W111] ONE DONATION ANNOUNCEMENT wmmhmmammmm seniorstomdfrunmedcdwpohtmmtsgmoerystoresandenands. Locdsetiorsareonawaflhgist ‘I U“ ‘r‘vI, Thesé arr just aim of the aver mo liver-related illnesses ‘JW ‘ , that threaten the lives ofmorr than 2 million Canadian men. women and childrrn. For 25 war: now, the Canadian Liver Foundation has been. leading the fight . against liver disease and to continue. Toronto, outano wemdww 1-800-563-5483 Onesirnple at! of kindness can gum very-fan rmmwmmmammmmemammnm Markham Mazda is proud to announce that Irene Muir has joined the Markham Mazda Sales Team and brings 'with her three years of experience selling Mazda. Irene makes her home in Stouttville and welcomes her new friends and neighbours to dr0p by the dealership for a test drive and learn why now is the best time to own a Mazda. MARKHAM mazna Mohammad.“ CHATS MILEAGE REIMBURSED Hgmce Cal (905)713-3494 or 1-877-755-3494 To Semom www.chats.on.ca 0 Wmca 53$ "May #7 Markham, Ontario 515-294-1210 Would you like to improve yourhearmg? With Destiny”, science brings you closer to natural human hearing than ever before «D - was and seams: to all runs or HEARING runs - Tinnitus Therapy ‘1 0 ADP, VISIR, DVA AUTHORIZED DISPENSERS - H0 CHARGE all Inclusive loss and damage insurance -1 year - Haarlng aaaaaarnants - newborn to geriatric - H0 CHARGE all lnclualva Manutacturar’a warranty - 2 yoars - llaarlag ala avaloatlons - 35 day lull aatlataatlon guarantee 0 Iatlarlaa and Marlag all accassorlas - Asaoclatao Irltn EHT (Ear. Rosa and Throat) Doctor 0 Aaalatlva Llatanlng Dayton and El Syslarna - Full-unto madman Cartltlad Amtlologlata - “mm-mm:- -thmm ~ ~ ' JUST RELEASED, THE MOST ADVANCED Toronto Hearing HEARING AID "Fusion Services 1320 Yonge Street, With patent pending features, now available for your best hearing to date! /!,g “If we don't get it, we won’t do the projects," said Whitchurch-Stouffville Chief Administrative Officer Dave increase is due to the inclu- sion of a one-time $92-million stimulus package grant the municipality hopes to receive from the federal government. jeopardy if the funding falls through are the reconstruction of McGowan Road from Van- dorf to Aurora roads; Rupert Avenue between the Ninth Line and West Lawn Crescent; Maynee Avenue’s reconsch- tion between 'Iindal to Haw- thorn roads and Victoria Street between Main Street and Sun- set Boulevard The latter two projects are also scheduled for water main and sewer recon- struction work. Phase one. of Memorial Park may also be on the chop- ping block. One project not eligible for stimulus package funding is the operations centre for parks. roads and facilities mainte- nance on Bethesda Road. Hewever, Whitchurch- Stoufhrille staff was able to Projects in the capital bud- get include the twimpad arena and new fire hall on Weldon Road, Main Street's widening and the Lebovic Centre forArts 8% town tax hike forecast for 2010 Projects in potential affected by the $37,680 shortfall include professional activity day and summer reading programs. “The library now has to revise its budget accordingly,” said Whitchurch-Stoufl’ville’s director of finance and treasurer Marc Pour- vahidi. The revised amount was based upon a funding formula agreed upon by the municipality and library board last fall, according to Mr. Pourvahidi. “(It was to) ensure there was consistency with the funding in the future.” he said. “At the time, it appeared the (library) board was happy with the formula." Libraries popular spots during bad times - Tinnitus Therapy - NO CHARGE all Inclusive loss and damage insurance -1 year - NO CHARGE all Inclusive Manutacturer’s warranty â€" 2 years - 35 day trrll satistactlon guarantee - Associated Iflll Ell'l (Ear. llose and Throat) Doctor - Full-time experienced Certified Audloloeists - -en~handtoeerveyoe - ' - ‘ From page 1. slash $2 million from its origi- nal budget, which is what helped bring the municipal tax levy down from January’s proposed hike of 5.9 per cent, to the final 4.9 per cent. CAPITALCOSTS Growth apparently doesn't pay for itself as the 2009 capi- tal budget is $44.7 million, with $33 million of it related to growth. The remaining $11.6 million is for non-growth relat- ed projects. Staff was able to slash $2 million from its original budget, which is what helped bring the municipal tax levy down from Ianuary’s proposed hike of 5.9 per cent, to the final 4.9 per cent. While the board may have been happy, apparently council no lonâ€" ger is as the formula will not be used to calculate future funding for the library. “Next year we have to come up with anew discussion,” Mr. Pourâ€" vahidi said. “There was no funding formula approved by council." The library board will meet on March 5 to discuss its options. INCREASING MEMBERSHIP Mthin the first nine months of 2008, more than 1,300 new people became library card holders, which brought the number of active users to more than 16,000 according to Ms Nordheimer James. That trans- lates into 54 per cent of the town who uses the library. and Entertainment - Nineteen on the Park. all of which were How your tax rate started in 2008. . “We're rightinthe middle of stacked up to nelgbours’ “We're right in the middle of our growth spurt, so we have to finish some of the projects we started," Mr. Cash said. “These things are wonder- ful to get, but they need to be maintained," Mr. Hargrave said, adding he has repeatedly asked staff to provide a fiveâ€" year projection of their operat- ing costs, tono avail, he said. Added Mr. Bannon: “Let's look after our capital cost pay- out now, so operating costs are under control in the future." While Mr. Emmerson, Mr. Hargrave and Mr. Bannon fail to see eye-to-eye on the 2009 budget, they do all agree that come this time next year, the budget increase will be signifi- cantly higher. Mr. Bannon and Mr. Harâ€" grave anticipate it to be in the eight-per-cent range. Property taxes not only include the municipal porâ€" tion, but also Region of York taxes and the Education Tax Rate. The region is currently contemplating a 2.9-per-cent increase, while the province has indicated the education budget will remain status quo. Markham Stouffville Hearing Services Established 1WD 377 Church St., Suite #203 However, the library is already seeing an increase in the number of materials being checked out. Last month, 14,000 items were borâ€" rowed, an increase of eight per cent over January of last year. A 33-perâ€" cent increase in checked-out mate- rial also occurred from December to January. Circulation materials rose by 17 per cent during the same nine- month period in 2008 from 2007. I The library is anticipating an increase of 1,000 people in 2009, Ms Nordheimer James said. “Libraries become an economic sanctuary in an economic down- turn,” Ms Nordheimer James noted. “We expected an increase because the population increased, but we didn't expect it to be that much." The Audiology Centre Established 1986 1333 Sheppard Ave. 5.. Suite #340 V MARKHAM 905-471 -4327 West End Hearing Establisth 1991 1243 W Av... sun How Whitchurch-Stouffville’s tax rate stacked up against other municipaliâ€" ties last year. 2008 municipal tax rates and amounts for a property assessed at $360,000: - Georgina - $2,216.25 - Newmarket - $1,408.46 - Aurora - $1,357.73 - East Gwillimbury â€" $1,311.30* ° King Township â€" $1,182.94 - Whitchurchâ€"Stouffville - $1,033.29 ' Richmond Hill - $995.81 ' Markham - $973.49“ Vaughan - $954.93 “Markham approved a zero-per- cent increase this week. *East Gwillimbury recently passed a 1.4wpeHent tax hike for 2009. NORTH YORK 41 6-498-41 5 1 ETOBICOKE 4 1 6- 233-858 1