PAGE 4, WEDNIESDAY, APRIL 22, . WITBY FREE PRESS whitby r Iuhished ever.% %%edntes(i b% M.1..I>ublishinig f. ~aind I>hotographý, lnc. Voice of the County Town Michael lan Burgess, Publisher . Managing Editor 'Me only whitby newspaper independenti. owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whitby residents. L ne r ree rress nuilming. 131 Brock Street North, P.O. Box 206, Whitby, Ont. Michael J. Knell Community Editor Marjorie A. Burgess Production Manager Karen Thompson Advertising Manager Malng Permit No 480 Member of the Whitby Chamber of Commerce Board's' Last week this publication reported Durham Board of Education plans to spe million in 1981. This.figure represents a 14.4 per centi in spending over 1980. Considering thati is presently running at approximately cent, this increase is probably justifiable. However, what is not justifiable newspaper is the manner in which the bo with the budget in public session. After hearing the presentation of Tru Mattson (Pickering), the chairman of the finance committee, the 20 trustees spenté eight minutes discussing the budget. That represents $13.5 million spent f minute of debate. Even though it is admitted that trustees considerable amount of time discuss budget in committee, the amount of publi was not as full or as meaningful as it sho been. It must also be noted that these co discussions were held in camera with benefit of public input or public scrutiny. The eight-minute debate was not, as previously, meaningful in a substant Trustees did not discuss the problemsf board of education budgetting, seekv ANCHORMAN FOR GLOBAL NEWS BEST OF , PETER A weekly news commentary from Canada's outstanding news persor We have had a lot of pleasant mail at Global' lately about the United Nations-sponsored film we aired recently on the courage and ability of the handicapped, called, "It's the Same World. " The film was made to mark the International Year of the Handicapped, and if it had a single dominant theme it was that the handicapped want to be useful citizens, that they don't want to be a burden on society, and that like the rest of us, they value their dignity. That's a simple enough message for most of us to absorb and accept in the abstract, but when it hits us where we live, it becomes a little more difficult. I don't normally read anonymous letters. The first thing I look for is a name and if it doesn't have one, 1 don't read any fur- thur. This time, the subject matter, "Year of the Handi- capped," was underlined and I read on anyway. It was from a man or a woman in an Ontario town that I won't identify. The writer thoroughly enjoyed the film, but felt there were those in his or her town that did not. Here's part of the letter: "Our local association for the mentally retarded has just spent four years in trying to make a group home for six adults a reality. These adults were ail to have been employed either in our local ARC industries or by private business. This was one of the requirements for provincial aid. It would also give you an idea of the functioning level of those to be in the home. I would also add that there was to have been a supervisor in the home at ail times that any of the residents were in the home. I am sure vou can teIl bv the tone of mv letter that what is news for the rest of the world has not become a reality in ...(and here I've deleted the name of the town.) It mav be the vear of the handicapped for the world, but the not-on- mv-street attitude has prevailed here. There were 17 objections from those notified regarding the zoning changes that would have been necessary to implement the home." Need I quote any more? Liberalism ought to begin at home. But our strongest liberal instincts always seem to be directed at someone else's neighbourhood. That's not news, but that too is reality. budget discussions irresponsible that the reduce the impact on the taxpayer or question the the education process is not disturbe end $108 necessityofmanyoftheirprograms. However, these factors do not By failing ta air these concerns in public, the board's behaviour in striking its budg( increase trustees of the Durham Board of Education have Having observed what occurred inflation willfully ignored their responsibilities ta the necessarytoquestiontheabllityofs 12.6 per people that elected them. to deal with the financial aspects of ti Considering thiat members of neither the press The f irst thought that comnes toi to this nor the public were privy ta the deliberations in trustees do not appear to be as i ard dealt committee, the board must be criticized for its monetary matters as they do in others public actions. These public actions can only be For example, on the same night a. stee Pat described as shameful. was approved, trustees spent aImas board's In ail fairness, it must be pointed out that the dbtn hte rntNvme board's eaigwehro o oeb 1 a total of board does fot have total control over its budget. school holiday or not. Mattson best described the situation when he Surely the expending of $108 mi or every totd his fellow trustees that "as time goes on, payers' money is deserving of mor more and more of the board's expenditures are than the merits of the November il hc spent a being determined by the collective bargaining This might seem ta be a case of' iing the process rather than through the budgetary one." but we believe that this may be the ru c debate "In short, the budgetary and program concerns the exception in board budget discus uld have should be paramount in the board's deliberations And if this is, indeed, the case, mmittee and, respectfully may t suggest that collective payers of this region are in seri tout the bargaining should be subserviant ta them, not the because they have elected truste other way around."-. whatever reason, cannot fulfil the cl s stated This publication agrees wholeheartedly. their office. ial way. Mattson pointed out that wages, salaries and One of the primary responsibilities faced in benefits traditionally account for appraximately istowiselyadministertaxpayers'mo ways to 90 per cent of the board's expenditures and that Unfortunately, this does not seem almost all of the board's employees are represen- pened with the current Durhary ted by a labor union. Education. These unions (the biggest ones of which hide It can only be hoped that the trus behind the name "teachers' federation") interested in the budgetary proce negotiate a collective bargaining agreement creates too great a burden on the which the board must honor during budget payer ... that's assuming their spen discussions. than haf our tax dollars isn't alread In this manner, a small group of people is telting burden. the Durham taxpayer how muchitwizl pay in taxes 30 when you're emptying the pi every year. This group is not composed of our borrowing mom's grocery money ton elected representatives. your second tax instalment just re Another major problen that shoutd be town onty COLLEOTS the money ar recognized is a legat one. Under the terms of the HALF wilt go to the board of educatiai British North America Act, the province is respon- BUT TAKE H EART ... we ail1 KNOW sible for educatian. The province in turn charges today are better educated than we the local school board with the day-to-day even more polite, better mann operation of the education syswtem. dressed, more literate, and they cert one of Because of the acceptance f public education around 'smoking up', taking drugs o ialities in aur constitution, the board probably feels com- public property ... and if you bei pelld t arrive at quick settlements with the perhaps the board may wish tatseloyn Television organizations representing its employees 50 that Floridaswampland. d. excuse the et last week. it becomes ome trustees heir job. mind is that interested in 'S. as the budget t 40 minutes 1 should be a illion of tax- e discussion oliday. "nit-picking", le rather than sions. then the tax- ous trouble >es who, for bligations of s of a trustee ney. to have hap- m Board of tees become Bss before it property tax- ding of more y too great a ggybank and iorrow to pay emember the nd more than n. that our kids were, they're ered, better ainly don't go r vandalizing ieve all that ou some nice Il