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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2005-11-30, Page 10Page 10 November 30, 2005 • The Huron Expositor News Rural mayors take aim at provincial sales tax Huron East's Mayor Joe Seili says sales tax should pay for downloaded services Monte Sonnenberg Rural mayors want Queen's Park to provide municipal support programs that reflect the contribution Ontario farmers make to the provincial treasury. At a conference of rural mayors recently in Simcoe, delegates said Queen's Park is collecting far more rev- enue from agricultural activities than it is return- ing in assistance to farmers or as support for down- loaded provincial programs. The mayors are taking aim at the billions Queen's Park collects each year from .M•.•.• • the 8 per cent provincial sales tax on restaurant meals, fast food and snacks. Joe Seili, mayor of r—gg=11V—Th Huron East, told the gathering that the provincial sales tax was initially intro- duced to pay for provincial services such as policing and ambulance. "What they've done is downloaded policing and ambulance onto the property tax and more than 50 per cent of meals consumed in Ontario communities they live in are entitled to a much larger share of the PST than they are receiving. Enniskillen Coun. Kevin Marriott has been pressing the Ministry of Finance for details on what the province collects each year in food taxes. Marriott, at first, found the ministry to be eva- sive. Now ministry offi- cials say they don't know. "I finally got an answer back," Marriott reported yesterday. "They say they don't separate it out from where they collect it. There has to be a way to find this out. The government doesn't want to break it down because then you have ammunition against them. Government is afraid of anyone finding this out because they don't want anyone to think there's a tax on food." The gathering was the second meeting of Ontario Mayors for the Future of Agriculture. With Norfolk Mayor Rita Kalmbach in the chair, OMFA held its inaugural meeting in June in the Junior Farmers Building at the Norfolk County Fairground. The meeting was held in the same venue. The 21 delegates agreed they have done enough talking amongst them- selves and must now turn their sights to Ottawa and Queen's 'What they've done is downloaded policing. and ambulance onto the. property tax and haven't reduced the sales tax,' Huron East Mayor joe Seili haven't reduced the sales tax," he said. "In fact, what they've done is increased it." Research indicates that are eaten outside the home. Delegates to the recent conference said hard- pressed farmers and the OWNTOWN GODERICH MERCHANTS PRESENT } IN mber 4, 2005 'We would like to invite your entire family to experience the magic of this holiday season in Downtown Goderich! We would like to offer you a special 'd** ow.riputritrnt m anniwable tun Sem r.a,Lnnu,^W/ appy. plus enjoy... • Horse-drawn Hay Rides ■ Free Cider & Treats • Visit with Santa 12 noon to 2 pm, • The following bttsinessts will be open Ilam to 51m... • Fincher's, 16 The Square ■ Rosemary's Ladies' & • Winston's Men's Wear, Men's Wear, 8 The Square • Wuerth's, 142 The Square • Sweets & Memories, 68 The Square • Wholesale Jewellers, 36 West Street Quilters by the Square, 32 West Street led to Fit, 148 The Square • Schaefer's Ladies Wear, 162 The Square leep Matters, 58 The Square 36 North Street • All Around the House, 32 The Square • Something Irresistible, 164 The Square ■ Elizabeth's Art Gallery, 54 The Square • Uniquely Yours, 168 Tite Square ■ Anstett Jewellers, 2 The Square Park. To that end, OMFA formed an executive com- mittee with a mandate to get as much face -time as possible with senior decision makers in Toronto and Ottawa. A key topic of dis- cussion will be the $3 billion gap between the value of health, welfare and social services downloaded to municipalities since 1995 and the revenue required to pay for them. Rural municipalities are eager to discuss the matter because property taxes are designed to pay for services to property. The increasing mandated costs of health, welfare and social services are impairing municipalities' ability to tend to the basic needs of their communities. Brant County Mayor Ron Eddy was selected as chair of the OMFA executive. Vice chair is Leeds -Grenville Warden Douglas Struthers. Other committee members include Kalmbach, Kingsville Mayor Nelson Santos, Malahide Township Mayor John Wilson, Tillsonburg Mayor Steve Molnar and Lincoln Township Mayor Bill Hodgson. "We in rural areas are looking for fairness and equity and the ability to succeed on a level playing field on our own merits," Molnar said. "There has to be a level of equity regarding the expec- tations of a rural economy and I don't think we have that." Seaforth man, 34, charged with assault A 34 - year -old Seaforth man has been charged with assault after a woman was assaulted at her Seaforth residence on Nov. 23 at approximately 8 p.m. Huron OPP were called to a residence where an argument between a woman and her separated common- law part- ner esca- lated. The man is scheduled to attend court Feb. 6 in Goderich.