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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1994-03-16, Page 5News and Views Options for education cuts Workers must repay U.I. continued from front page ■ Goderich District Collegiate Institute renovations (mechanical/ electrical) ■ Summer school transportation ',Elementary furniture and equip- ment U Secondary furniture and equip- ment "Elementary special education plant "Secondary special education plant ■Elementary maintenance equip- ment "Secondary maintenance equip- ment "Curriculum and professional development The points referring to elemen- tary capital refer to the local share of spending required in these areas to match funding from the province. Rather than paying the local share out of the board's budget, they will spend reserve funds on elementary capital and reduce their budget expenditures. Once the operations side of the budget was exhausted the board went to an in -camera private session to discuss possible wage reductions for board employees. At this time, the total cuts had reached roughly $1.5 million. Although board officials are unable to make public possible wage reductions until consulting with various unions, federations and bargaining units, HCBE Director Paul Carroll did state that, if the board decided to implement a flat wage reduction for all board employees, every per cent they reduced from salaries equalled about $280,000. If they chose to make up the remaining $1 million by such a flat reduc- tion, the result would be a wage reduction of roughly four per cent for all board employees. Carroll explained the impact of the cuts made on Wednesday. His main point was that the board has reached their goal of a zero per cent increase on the mill rate from the board. This does -not take ink,- account nfoaccount possible increases by the province into the standard mill rate or decreases in provincial transfers to the local school boards. The standard mill rate is the device the province uses to calculate what proportion of spen- ding per pupil will be done by the provincial dollars and what share COSTELLO-VINCENT &CONKIN Deb Vincent 527-1865 Personal Income Tax Preparation • Starting at 520. • No GST on services. • Guaranteed Income Supplement form completed free of charge when income tax return prepared • Bookkeeping services also available. CALL TODAY! auaoliiooclooccoocc000Q000uacL g Huron County's Complete o VEHICLE El (I a CI RENTAL CI Headquarters - In Small & Mid-sized Cars a D Passenger & Cargo Vans, i Pickup Trucks 0 Daily, Weekly, Monthly E Q Insurance Rentals & More 3 J Free Delivery a ("Ask about our full itransportation service CAR & TRUCK RENTALS t)Ivlsion of Suncoast Ford 500 Ilttron Rd., Goderfch CALL COLLECT Mk for Helen 524-8347 will come from local taxpayers. "'There will be no property tax increase, as far as the board is concerned," said Carroll. Combined cuts which include the Social Contract Act, provincial downloading through the standard mill rate, reduced or frozen grants and the board's own expenditure reductions have brought the budget down significantly from where it was expected to be two years ago. Carroll said the budget was down to $60.5 million from what would have been $66.5 million "in normal circumstances." He said that while the impact on programs will not be sever and that students will not notice many changes, "You can't take that much out of the system without some impact." Glenn Lamb, financial services administrator for the HCBE, es- timated the provincial transfers and the standard mill rate will be announced sometime between the end of March and middle of April. Any changes made at the provincial level will likely go directly on property tax bills un- less the board decides to hold another round of reductions and add to the already deep cuts. An Unemployment Insurance Canada official says a delay in processing information through government computer networks is at least partially to blame for the confusion involving UIC claims of former employees of General Manufactured Housing, Hensall. The Lakeshore Advance reported last week that UIC was extending the claims of some of the laid off employees tong enough to cover . the amount the federal government was demanding they pay back in UIC "overpayments". The government wants the UIC benefits, paid when workers were laid off after the company went into receivership in 1990, paid back because the workers received payments under the provincial Wage Protection Program two years later. Floren.e Leacock, one of two client services officers who interviewed affected workers about their claims m Hensall March 2 and 3, told The Lakeshore Advance that while an undisclosed number of claimants won't have to pay back the money, it isn't because the government is making special allowances for them. Leacock said the money received from the provincial program is considered income, which "creates an overpayment," in UIC benefits for a comparable period. However, for workers who had a gap during which they were not working and weren't eligible for UIC, the provincial money could be considered income for the gap period, making repayment unnec- essary. . The computer should have picked up and made allowances for the gaps where applicable, said Leacock. Leacock said it has not yet been determined how many of the approximately 65 former GMH employees would end up repaying the UIC benefits because all the reviews are not yet complete. In 1992, the affected workers received about $3,600 in after tax payments from the provincial program, resulting in the UIC demands for paybacks averaging $2,200 to $2,500 for UIC received in 1990. The provincial program did not come into existence until 1991 and GMH workers did not receive payments through it until 1992. Park management changes The Seaforth Optimist Club is asking the town's Recreation Department to take over the management of the entire park. Currently the department looks after the ball diamond. Recre- ation Director Marty Bedard recently attended a meeting with the Seaforth Optimist Club. Added responsibilities for the recreation department will include maintenance of the entire park, bookings for the hall, and looking after the food booth. Dear Customers, cfk11 tUtt 11 would like to take this time to thank you for your patronage with us. As I am sure you are aware, Elza is no longer part of our team, however we still hope to service you in any way we can. You are a valued customer at All 'tules 11 and we would like you to know that we appreciate your business. We wish Elza all the best in her future endeavours. Sincerely, the staff of XX SLOPS .C.0 65 Main St. Seaforth 527-0780 *Singing Bunnies * Back -pack Bunnies *Wee Bunnies r Big Bunnies M Gift Baskets with Easter sweets .felly Bell s Hop up the lane right into Tastebuds! EASTER CANDY HAS ARRIVED! RP Chicken or Bunny Suckers *Easter Tidbits co Chocolate Baskets filled to the brim with sweets! * Easter Tins *Chocolate covered Marshmallows SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE FOR EASTER 59` t0 314 99 White, Dark, or Milk Chocolate treats available. "Drop by and visit our retail showroom or call us today" OPEN: Tues. -Sat. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Hwy. 4 South •of CLINTON (directly across from Iluronvlew) 482-1232 Corn. Brian Ferguson noted at a committee that an agreement between the Optimist Club and Recreation Park should be drafted. All expenses will still be looked after by the Optimist Club. 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