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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-06-09, Page 14rr Page 14 - Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, June 9, 1993 Opposing sides on park taxes presented at Fair Tax. Commission CHESLEY--Trailer park owners and a Bruce County municipality were on opposite sides of the ar- gument at a Fair Tax Commission hearing in Chesley May 25. Amabel reeve Bill Ferris wants each of the 3,000 seasonal trailers in his township to pay a $50 fee in lieu of taxes. He told the Fair Tax Commission that trailers arc used like cottages, since many have cement patios and • additions, but they don't pay propety tax. Trailer owners pay site rental fees to the campground owner, who in turn pay business tax to the municipality. Ferris argued thatarrangement adds up to just of $10 revenue for the township from each trailer site; far Tess than the amount of property tax paid by cottage owners. The inequity of assessment creates an "undue burden," Ferris told the commission. Trailer users require township services, he said, including the $60,000 it costs to operate Sauble Beach, but they don't pay an equal share of the bill for those services. On the other hand, trailer dark owner Murray Lembke of Silent Valley Park Ltd. said charging assessment on trailers or "RV's" would cause "enormous damage" and loss of business. - "1 can see a flood of campers going to the northern United States," he said. "It's the same driving distance'and there's no tax." Lembke said there are 80 campground owners in Grey and Bruce, with a total of 5,000 sites. "We zannot overstate our concern. about the assessment," he said. Lembke said the tourist industry and retail businesses as a whole would lose if RV owners were driven away by having assessment charged on their vehicles. He es- timated that 80 per cent of trailer . owners' spending is done in nearby malls and stores, and predicted a "devastating loss to surrounding communities" if that revenue is lost. In response to Commissioner's questions, Ferris explained that the �i.LI11IlId:L�hi 28 NOIHSV1 • KISSES FASHIONS DOWNTOWN WALKERTON S IVIDJdS NNiOQ gUIS411. 881-3090 Hours: Mon. - Sat. 9:30 5:30 p.m. Fri. 9:30 - 7 p.m. Yes, We Are Open Wednesdays COW CALF PRODUCERS ° You are cordially invited to attend an information • seminar ' GUEST SPEAKERS: 'Dr. Mark' Spencer Steve Laycock Ruminant Nutritionist/Management Specialist - Consultant to many Western Canadian Cow Calf Producers, consults on practical aspects of raising calves and brood cow performance. - Hoechst Canada. Effective Parasite Control, worming - when it • pays and when it doesn't. - Rhone Paulenc - coccidiosis - How it is effecting your calves, and how to deal with it cost effectively. - Creep Feeding - How: when and why - does it pay for your enterprise. TUESDAY, JUNE 15th WINGHAM LEGION, 7:30 p.m. SHARP! Sarah from Australia Johan from Sweden Host Families Needed for Cultural Exchange StuJent . Travel Schools invites you to participate in our exciting host family program. This September, youths from Europe, Australia, and New Zealand will be coming to Canada to spend a high school year• in our community. •Each one eager to. learn about Canada —its culture, and its people. 'Why nut take this opportunity to share your home' and way of life with a young person from another country? Bring a part of the world to your home and gain a special friend for life. For more information about becoming a host family, please call today. Julia Lubc$ynsld (toll free) 1-800-265-9316 fee he proposes would be levied on the' campsite, and paid by the campground owner. Twenty per cent of the campground sites would. be exempted as "transient" sites rather than sites used for people who park their trailers from one season to the next. "We recognize the needs of the travelling public," Ferris said. "But some of these trailers can't even be pulled by a modern car." When Lembke argued that any tax -related campground fee would have to be province -wide in order to keep campgrounds competitive; Ferris was quick to see consensus. "We're closer together than we have been in many years (on the issue)," he said of Lembke's sug- Lucknow UCW members visit Pinecrest residents Members of Unit 2, Lucknow UCW met at Pinecrest Nursing Home on June 1. At 2 p.m. several residents' gathered for an afternoon of singing' and readings. Allene Bradley' opened with a welcome and Elsie Houston presided at the piano. Grace Gibson read the scripture from Luke -- The parable of the sower -- as the theme was compas- sion. Allen read a poem about sowing seeds of love, friendship and compassion. Readings by Eileen Lemoine, Grace Gibson and Lois Goodhue, all demonstrated how to be friendly or compassionate to everyone. Several familiar hymns were sung with the residents joining in. The committee, along with Donna Creck, served lunch. After visitingwith the residents, the ladies gathered in the activity room for business. With Allene presiding, the minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. Roll call was answered, in ways to show compassion. The , treasurer's report was received and coming events an- nounced. Volunteer appreciation day was held at Pinecrest Nursing home June 4. The Y.W.C.A. group held a yard sale at the church grounds on Friday, June 4. Allen read a piece written , by , the late Aubrey Higgins and Lois Goodhue read an article on Stewardship. The meeting closed with prayer and then the ladies visited with the residents again. gestion. In a final plea to the commission, Ferris said the trailer park business is "growing fast" and needs prompt attention to the tax issue. T three-member Fair Tax Com mis ion heard from Farm, Education, Municipal and individual groups in its one -day stop in Ches- Iey. . Port Elgin mayor Brian Cleaver said he was "disappointed" that more municipalities didn't take advantage of the opportunity to comment directly on the province's tax system, • though commission organizers were generally pleased with the turnout of other groups. Commission chair Monica Townson said there seems to be a "Public will" to change the tax system, especially in the area of property tax. The commission is on record as saying property tax sys- tem is regressive and no more related to ability to pay than a poll tax. "We're not talking about tinkering," Townson said in response to a comment on school funding from a board of education representative. "We're willing to do more than tinkering with property tax." Townson said hearings .around the' province indicate that ratepayers are willing to "give up a bit of their own turf" if it means the tax system as a whole will end up being more equitable. WITH A LITTLE HELP from Joanne Krarner, Earl Myerscough attempts to make It through the obstacle course. Students at Lucknow Central Public School took part In fun activities on June 3 to celebrate Fitweek. (Debbie Davidson photo) SPECIAL VALID NOW UNTIL THE END OF JULY! , Ili Umbach Pharmacy LUCKNOW 528-3004 WQLL—EyMH Country School House - con- verted to' spacious 3 bedroom house $123,900. ' Ideal Building Lot - overlook Pine River from this. private property. Lot 100' is )65'.. $39,900: Atfordable - 2 bedroom P-rkwood trailer, 10 x 55. Completely furnished. $5,500. Close To Town - 3 bedroom older home with many upgrades. $89,900. Restaurant - Drive-in with 36 seats. Large parking lot. $149,900. Small Motor Repair Shop' - plus 3 bedroom home. Lot 200' x 290'. $189,900. Fern Vibert 395-3478 Sales Representative Kitchener affiliated office.