The Canaien Champion, Tuesday, December 20, 2005 - AS -Halton will pay GTA pooling cash, under protest By MELANIE HENNESSEy The Champion to the planned Decemnber pooling paymeuts and The resolution counicil supported goes onl t0 cil's concerns witli GTA pooling. rcconciliatijîîu. But. iftetrstaff rex iecd the sugi cail for- the 'tox ine to le inor hait 1I li F *,if, î, I n f I s wîllîngly. At ils meeting Wedniesday. regional council approvedi a resolution expressing Halion's oppo- sition to GTA pooling -a systemn thai helps Toronto fund social services -and that. under protest. Halton will pay this year's pooling obli- gation. It had been suggested in a motion ai counicil last monîli that the Region cap Halion's 200)5 pooling payments at a three per cent increase over the $35.1I million tl paid last year xvhich would've meaut withliolding about $2.5 million. 'Mis would've been done through adjustments '[le Provinice miade tl clear It ail ot us -ihey expeci their payments and they'll get their pay- menîs. Tliey have the means to do ihat." said Commissioner otf Corporaîe Services and Treasurer Jane MacCaskill. A report trom Ms MacCaskîll explaiîîed that if I-aIton dîdn't utuke its paymenî. the amounî would become a debi owed to the Province, whicli could be recovered by any remedy or pro- cedure available by law. Almosi $39 million was approved in the Region's 2006 budget for pooltng Wednesday, whîch equates to about $201 for the average tax- payer. Ilg\ Lt Lo ctgiîft olincli s cosîtîtucd otppositiou t the pooliug concept. Amîtugst the counicîllors whet endorsed the item was Milton Mayor Gord Krautz, wlio tîtîd The Champion that he's been (tue oif the strongesi advocaies of Halton neit having auy part of GTA poe)iîg. 'Sometimes yutu've got ici really send a mes- sage (to the Protvince) -enougli is enougli wheu il comres tii downloading," lie saîd. 1I and many of us (politicians) work very, very liard to make sure our respective jurisdictious get a fair shake, and we're not in this instance." Staff was direcîed to report back to councîl in April with recommendations tît address court pîsilitg cosis, cstimafed to lic about $15~ milion in Yoîrk Region's levy. Shortly after thnat, York Regiou passed a reso- lutietu to cap uts 2(X)5 pooling puyments at a three per cent uncrease over uts 2004 payments. Regional Chairmnan Joyce Savoline lias writteu to tlie Proîviuce in the pasi to voice Halton's opposition to GTA pooling. Some of tlie issues tlie Region lias with the systemn tuclude is lack of accountability and pre- dicîabilîty and lack oif independent audit verifi- cation. Melanie Henneusey eau be reached ai mhen- nessey@(ýmilennanadiancýhampion.c-om. --Milton bingo hall closing its doors Region Web site changing after 27 years in the community By MELAME MEt#IESSE The Chanpin At tIhe end of thse month, Miton Bingo Country will cail its last nmnler. Mie popular spot on Regional Road 25 is cloing ils doors afier 27 years of serving the communi- ty and helping raise thousands of dollars for local charities. The hall's assistant manager. Kim Wright, toîd Thse Champion that a letter she received fnam Bingo Country's head office says the Malton location ils closmng due SMOKING C whot's the re Someday, ysu'l be offered a cigarette or be tempted lu smoke. Before gousutart, think about il. esery drag you take ocrewu upO your body. Smoking con cause permanent damage to your body. Once a person starti, it becomes entremely J N tough to quit. And did wt mention ail that cash yns'Il be blowing in outhe procens? Su if youuru tempted NLD tu start, uni yourself, "What'î the Psint?" Thiîs menssagn UMiiiiiii brought tu yuu by, i' mu nb to, "fincia eonsiraions." ates will have to f¶ssd a way to *"Weve been oldd it's (thse local maie op for thse lots offtSd. brand) Mmotnikig any mony." Ms Wrgh noWe fiaI fastfus aise said.Bnotutycm mae' Hall manager Greg Huether BioConrycanesasnt said lie was "a little shkd hsappy wth tie cloSuo annoance- wben he fou<jou at th h aj's ment cither, wio'll now bave to sbutting down. drive out: of town if they want to *1 did't think il would bappen play. Ibis sooin, but 1 know Ihey've The final bingo seaions will been struggling forsa little while," take place December 31 ait 12:45. lie said. 4 n 0pm In addition to putting 15 people 4 n 0pm out of work, the clonure sîso Melanie Hennessey can be means 27 local charitien tha lien reached at mhennesseyl@mitton- efit from, revenues the hall gener- canadianchampion.com. With the uew year comes change to Halton Region's Web site address. As of January 1, tlie Region wilI shorten its on-hune naine to www.halton.ca Simplifying the Web site address responds to feedback received from resi- dents ai towu hall focus groups recently held by the Region to solicit input ou the effectiveness oif is vartous communication D IE Saturday Jan. 1 %a IsT SERVICE LCt(0 channels and practicen. "Iu 2005 our Web site drew over 150,000 visits per month, so we kuow it is a very important source of information," said Halton CAO Brent Marshall. Regional staff e-mail addresses will change to refleet the new address and wilI swîtch to the format of firstnamne.lasî- uametiiihalton.ca. Wte~ej644ema and have a Safe and Happy Holiday Clo0seeti _ Saturdus. Dnc, 24 Suncfay, Onc.25 Monday. Dnc 26 Tuesnlus, Onc. 27