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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1979-12-05, Page 4Piga 47--4ocknew Sentinel, esday, December 5, 1979 Equalization factors raise CO. • .r Huron County Council members indicated their conflicting opinions regarding tax equalization factors, when they supported a resolution asking the province to rescind equalization -factors at Thursday's council meeting. A resolution from Woolwich •township which the council supperted, requests the province to rescind the equalization facters as published in June and asks the province to move quickly to implement a full program of the assessment of agricultural lands and their relative values. Five townships in the county- have appealed the tax equalization factors be- cause they expect costs to rural taxpayers will increase more rapidly than urban municipalities. There is concern that rural factors have decreased to a great extent than in urban municipalities, since the price of land has increased drastically particularly in rural areas. Tax equalization factors have been frozen since the early 1970s. The resolution supported by Huron County Council criticizes the implementation of equalization factors because the factors do net resolve the problem created by the lack of property reform and the proposed factors do not relate to population or the ability of municipalities to pay. The resolution states that the proposed phasing cif tax increases does net resolve the problem • of the weighting " of agricultural assessments for levy purposes, but only acts to slow the implementation of unfair shifts of, the tax burdens. Deputy -reeve Bob Allen of Goderich told council he felt those township representa- tives'whose township councils had already approved the equalization factors, would be contradicting themselves, if they voted to support a resolution asking •the province to rescind the factors. Bill Elston, reeve of Morris, said his township has appealed their assessment based on the new factors,. "The factors are already set," he said. "What good is an appeal?" Bill of rights to protect farming BY SHEILA GUNBY A dramatic new approach is needed to protect farmers. in their way of farming was the sentiment expressed at the OFA convention held in Toronto last week. It was felt that the Code of Practice-shotild be replaceid–with a Code of Rights for farmers - to provide positive protection of a farmers right to farm. , • The Code of Practice, originally intended to be merely a guideline for .Municipalities, .has now become a "muse!. It is being instituted in official plans as well as zoning by-laws. It has become beth a written and unwritten law across Ontario. The Code of Practice has failed the Ontario farmer. It has not come to grips with the number of non-farm uses already in rural Ontario. It has impact on new houses and new barns and additions to barns that will be built from here ott. It does not come to grips with the present-harrassment and limitations put on farmers. There is a fear tbat4he Code of Practice could expand to include noise allowances, use of pesticides and erosion control; it could affect every single thing a farmer does. Fanners are told to preserve land, yet municipalities are allowed to grow toward farmers; farmers are .not allowed to expand their livestock operations in proximity to built up areas. • The first thing that needs to be done to correct this problem is to move away from negative controls on farmers to a positive protection of a farmers right to farm. The discussion paper at The OFA convention proposed a provincial Code of Rights - a bill of rights that will be permissive rather than restricitve •for the farmer It stated that agriculture should be consideredas the primary industry in the agricultural areas and all non-farm uses should be secondary to that. It should protect the agricultural industry and stop non-farm uses in an agricultural area from restricting agricultural practiees, It would protect farmers in their normal farm practic, es frond harassment and restrictions. OFA also proposed that a provincial and regional committee of farmers be establish- ed (by OFA) in close co-operation with commodity organizations and marketing boards to discuss and approve kinds of livestock and crop husbandry practices. which fall under the term "normal farming • • practices" to communicate these guidelines • to farmers and to investigate and arbitrate complaints against farmers. nergy costs worry ctrmers ;BY 1.0101SE MARR1TT presented by this. Peter Hannam, retiring President of the Ontario Federation, of Agriculture, fold delegates that escalating fuel prices will be, the "sceerge of the 80s" and It will be up to farmers to press government to give them a break. "There is no need to follow the world price of oil so slavishly in a key industry like agriculture," Mr. Hannam said. "To do so as quickly as is now being planned will cripple producers and will jeopardize the country's food supply." He said Federation projections are that gasoline and diesel.fnel prices will be up 12 to 18 cents a gallon next year and fertilizers, a fossil fuel derivative, will be up at least 15 per cent. Research in agriculture has shown where highest costs in energy occur in farm operations and a number of energy conser- vation and utilization projects are presently in trial operation. Indications are that even modest adjustinents can affect considerable energy savings. Great changes in energy production and utilization can be expected in the near future and many these will be of great value to the agricultural industry in food production. Energy Uses in agriculture were seen as a major concern in the coming years at the recent Annual Convention of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture in Toronto. While, "on farm" use of energy was shown to be only 3% of the total national consumption, the costs of energy will constitute a considerable portion of food cost price rises in the near future. Costs incurred after the basic product leaves the farm gate will create a marked impact by energy use through transporta- tion, processing, packaging and not the least in the final process of preparation in the home. Alternative energy source for farm use shoal considerable promise but at pres6nt few are developed for immediate use. Plant and animal products are seen as potential energy producers for future farm use but utilization of these sources has not yet reached practical levels. Of immediate concern to producerS is the combined threefold rise of energy, labour and 'capital costs and reshlting difficulties , • 1.0.AI ..et of opiniert "It is unfortunate biur assessment is in such a mess, and a mess it is,"' he observed. Seaforth reeve John Flannery said he was on council when the municipality did iti own assessing. The province thought they could do a better job, said Flanbery, "but they are further out on their assessment than ever we were." "the proVince set the factors, let them contend with them." • Deputy -reeve Allen told council there is a discrepancy in the way we think because rural and urban areas conflict. "Some are paying more than their share and some are not paying their share." Alien commented it is better to go ahead with equalization until another system is developed, "Let the rural areas lobby -that education taxes should not be based on property taxes." terest rates.... shorn page 1 lower production and thus raise prices still higher in the future. The main reason for the present high interest rates as set by the Government is to attempt to hold the Canadian dollar at a higher level so that the cost of repaying foreign borrowings which are due in a large part to federal and provincial government deficits. If our currency were devalued still further, governments (and big business) would have more difficulty to repay their foreign loans. Other Provinces and other Countries shield their farmers from the full impact of high interest rates. Therefore, Ontario farmers must demand alternatives be found to the present high intrest rate monetary policy, or that farmers be shielded from these high rates. Such a program Would Jmake Ontario farmers more competitive in the marketplace, and it would I -kelp reduce the inflationary spiral of the consumers food basket. Raise $19 000 .••••. ofrom page 1 proceeds to go to charity. Members of the group, which held a Christmas Bash last year, to raise money for Crippled Children, include' Dan Lear, Londesboro; Wayne Lyon, Blyth; Ken Pol- lard, Blyth; Robert Kay, Dungannon and Rick Passmore, Lucknow. *go 4- A INV 1. ,04 t • Ai" • ^':L104.• ..:1V10014e:he'perfOrrpapOp of.yOuftio0y:ortiv:ett cattle' • Beef Feedlot Starter Ration By feeding CO-OP Beef PeedlotStarter Ration with Aureo S-700 you'll help getlyour cattle through their firat critical weeks in your feedlot. CO-OP 'Beef FeedlotStarter Ration provides everything your cattle need to start gaining Weight fast and to combat the street; (Medi Of changing diets, weaning -- and shipping. 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