*OPINION M ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ PailtonafOnt Mirr4Nar* &Nd . Uls ga us, alnen mui ~ Ian Oliver ~ ~ ~ l 1Ib u i Pckrlfs iang News Adllo r arilMîsr OAvncf Brampton O ri n lit(90) 78-34 WrdtmiyPot Cel em. ategi" Peereuq&l SteWee. REs York E K ares f ised 875330 dîîs,,aMusi MnlfIfiI 1 Keeiêet on m oNan, tha urW Aie E pgra Banni 1 Uer Nai ~ k' s o r tmerlu, a d Nsortio forki isîng îpaceneuiat e e rruounli Tomay Tl m » C P,.ur sinssm a g~ fer adV St a eif aonMeaucaréfo Utai n e frt it orar T.d Llsdsay R'fat Adte Men e 0 Sbnr. of thé ~ s adet i aib Set fon r a héff c* rate Tffe pub m iner retues tfa nitrf a tItlgorie IMMnabt or tcifine Thneir jnettle will be tested lTre municipal staff report on increased lesure * servIce user fecs% was lauded lny a numirer of tîîwn COUiitrs Moudsy. Th1cy CiÇd ir'S defaiS oIn .osts and revenues. For some reason. ibiîs inforofation glal lux been prevrously reque-sred. While a fan of sclecied user fecs, I do quest ion wtry, wifth our otîvirrus tronley shoflage, coun- cil's lirsf angle of attack is tu naise tunids through user tees before addffessîng reducing costs. * Sorre cincillors said fluey were going io lue spending a oui of limne on botlr tlrese issues trefore nieu week's vote on user (ee increboco. Town staff hWn met wifh a numbher of user groosps - (bey call.themn siaeloldes - go dis- Cus trse te.Fraflkly , 1relieve every persun v=u pifs propenty taxes tsi akeholde r. lire 1own ofQakville fusf lueld frts ft of sixo public meetings tc, dîscaus budget culs and user tees. Our îown staff are prepitng flicir recoin- mendafions for councril Will flue p(iblic here have flueir choice about providing input. as do flue cil fzeirs ot Oakilk lle Cul backs have forerd a re-educaf ion program on bolh ltos staff and counacillors. We. flue clii- iens could do witlr one as well. Haven't you always wondered wlucre tluey spend your tas nmyl A public meeting could lue an opportu- nîîy tor everyone. if coricit chooses go tolloan Oakv lie's example. How mallch mrongey is bein& speng on planning tor'post pipeline roadsvays and subdivisions, versuis plowîng. sandng and salting our carrent- ly suow-covered avenues and tcy sidewalks? Jaus asking. Could ï(he kzst Ligie an employee on fthe cluopping block, Haltîon Region îs susggling 10 maintain motuen- tutu anîll ifs actions whlile wrestling wieu tlue possible lou. of stature argd influence. Regional governmeni represeneatîves have exluhitl sigus of ElisabeII. Kubler-Ross' five stages of accepting deatlr Dishee, singer, bar- gaiutng, depression and acceplseice. Mosf.regional politicians Hkve a pon in thse ufoiit. lme are elected tcflue regio tlrinu local constituenicies wluecl are in lieue to lue sftngtlr. ened if regional guveenuefr slips uei otfle hlulfo- r> page& Sotueun will have to do vrnis tlue regeon is cur;ently doetg. Eventually tlue proivince orilI fis- ih wluiseiing flue faile ad everyoe ll ucrnro- ble for fcwerjom. If lte province ingnounices ltai regioual gofi- emenments wili lue scrapped, et wonei take long betoore politiciens begin ie wluoesa stripping ot poletical puings off Hilton Reg"oes calraise. It's aleedy lueppetng. At "a week's councul meeling Hlbon Chair- Joyce Savolmne itad tu remsind counfciliors fluai flue drd itW Mu yee been datte. However. flue Golden Report on Grauir Toronto Amea (GTA) retorn luis cul die legs oua teone sender the region arfIl luis put much nussaipi gammes on luold. lse till ucluedule thte province bus promnised for actinrg on te report lu neceaey lu stop l ogvanml In one exemple gîven afflue council\nseeeing 65 per cetl t fe couq of a elldes swibi g prognagn aas administration. How many kîdu do flue admiffatrs tatwl lu swng? Many believe govermfnf is top fueavy. lv fluai flue, case luerel Thse recenîly passeti provincial omnibus bill anill gise our local goverument consîderably enluanced decision-making poaners. Hoan wnill flue> haudle fluese new responsibilities? Coesncil's decisions about user tees and upcom- îng budget recongmendations-will glne us a rage glimpse of their leadershuip abilit tes. Forcing MPS toî-toe the Une lu 1975 then Finance Mînîseer John Turner saed, Il cy(Su now lu sole.iic meauâes. Noneis more imprtra fluait théê cotsol ut public expert- ditures.- Te detick itaf yeiur ais $6.2 billiont witlt a fudrel deht of 33.9 billioni. lu 1978. anlen Jean Chretien was mîntuer of finance, lue predicted that. "Signilicant redue- tuons in thse dericit sin lue expecteli.- Tat yeae lue added $13.1 billion o flue national deue of $64.7 billion. -lu 1986. the euew Progressiec Conservativg Let's TaIk Taxes sl ne eisure service uepartinent là, expecico to finance boss, Michaiel Wttnlt ttuuderet. "Wh Dicr - $37s.5 billion, ddei-4. S lln eut irugll 10 percent truni their budget, about thue gorveanmers came Io office, ane rucountermi Wt~~'s wtong w tiî eFor decades, $400.000. Are user tees goîug lu enake sp flue s debl probleen ot mnassive proportions Th tederal finance minîsters have heem progniseng lu, ,$400000 or anilI tlrey actfually cut conis? Wid back anas pasurdl to us. Well flue buck stops rein in spendîng, culthfle deticit and conîrul non-users gel a faix reductioi9 Yes, couincillors luere." Mr. Wiinon's 1986-87 delrcit anas for $32 Canada*s speraling deut, sud for decades ltey have sonue lougu decisions te make. billion. mskiug tise aecumulated deu equal f0 have hee tailing miserably Neuf Monday counicil votes on user re§. If $388.3 billion. How dotes dis huappen? you cmr get out f utyoer snoany. slippery çtreef. lu 1994 Piaul Maulîn excîseenel. 'For years, Tluere are lots of reasons. Oveely opieistir wluy nof jotu f hem? Wluen politiciens tsce a govergumeuts have brn promistng more fthan economuc predfictions, flue denriinds ut apecial crowd, tluey adopt'a simple asîom: flu more, fluey cain deliver, 9nW delivering more fluanh tluey intmrru groups weclu politicimaiwerm incapable flhe warier eu atteforit luisasot end. We are endiug fil"o utring dlown, and unpeedictable business cycles are bu a few. Wliasever flue caisses. huow- oneouttur of th lihts fil surelytnus bcex ary uoha w one ut urnoff thefig ts? finance mini ufers coulti have useti a lie lielp. Resfnseurng regional council. once a polilical On Jan. 27 at ils "raxpayer Confrol ot Ovri- huot pofafo, luas been rendereti muot untîl flue ment" confereuce in Toronto. flue Canadien GTA issue ts decîdei. Local municipalmlies have TaxpayersFdereion unveeleti al if uopea ibanduid fler espeit de corps ut regional gos- anîli put an end f0 flue irresponullule fiscal lfebv j L : ~~Rau ne e mmn anidare plottingto cauve up the regron's tur tfefderal govemments. u th Indicat ions uft he trendi pupped sp the day is a constilstional ameudment anlicu would wih atefer flue report as released as memenhes ut accuepleilu firme Objectives. .vra.aw counscil suet out varnm positions in ils wake Thue Oirsi section ufthIle amreudinent smould v&C8. Oakville Mayor Aune Mulvile sid RalIon*s tore e f ederal goveruntnt tu belancedwh bud- position on Bell 26 was insignifîcant given lthe get every ye a ier 1999-20M0. Vlus would gise masive changes likely lo occue. flue governnoent an intifal lirer, yiabo elidell truen afnopluying. Ms Savoline liedi go reminti Colin Beat told Milton couricil flus Burleupton flue deficit - more generoas titan whiat ugarty counrcillors thue Golden test provides ewtomin- council il, solt between ning anifl dmu GTA Or economits MeAeedà< dations; na the provincial govennfeenrl d is not Hamilton.-,. Allier Olur defecils coezld only lue in in case ut govrragneiitpolicy. He addeid Milton luould iuvesiegae wigaeor na itussaisterand then only after&vell Milton Mayor Gord Keantz said flue region Hanalftous pli eait acur Ieo ristso la;ueg s urgit ot two-hirds ut bueu thse Huse ut Consn could not manie aide-ranging deciseon unsil ils ner lu lite TA. Lâter lue disavowed aay and ile Sellete. Fenrancial penaltiles would be fate isdecided. Urban groanthitn Miltoen under in joilning Hilaleuei-Wetlllvnhrl app lo &Il nuenulug ut piriaterat ad ana- lthe Haion Urban Structure Plan (HIJSP) is Oalcville Cousmcilligr Kevin Flynn cofuetdt lo fors who vote tcu encreure spendifig or taxes icady lne yeaes lu the making. bul lu ettre- qetoning lthe nee te oue torward on neyerail witici woald cause s vIolatiqu ut lta aniM- lively sieveti sansl lte UTA isaue sa decided. issues, but sSemed resignein lulthe end that incas Ma Savoline toïd ienbessiofthe pkiaegiad *'nsead of tolding our feuetanc have lu keep il would sîso resflet ependlfng tu lthe ggownih f public works corfmfee lithfle Mialuter ut pluning on." rase uf die populalion phiudWu ,nhlo Municipal Affaira, AI Lei. would nol malite s HoWiLver noble lte sentiment, il wiii berunte Over tue paus 30 yemr 0154-94) spening los commigitmgerrt lu, an HUJSP-based business plan inceaesingly ditAicuil for local goverumngei lo grotan by 2.551 pe cent wlaie inflation bus ely given'l u1tceehauuy siei promusof t 1k Golden tunction as any kinti ut ettective level lu flie ato by 421 pet cent ainq pupu6iea by 5I per Repue." Ms Savoline refumd eo lu d ie projesct absence ofà a , m di âm lthe provnc At kma mmt. li on hul, snd inasdedi i l movulfi torwuad due s decision lu diabande Ste regio would give -Li s "i mu,," il a jugsérir servke of &i lu conllue »dy by ProuhWla stff. delira o É emudn e ldcL Onàurdo Taq"mrFduahmre