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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1997-02-12, Page 4Times -Advocate, February 12, 1997 Pubiisher & Editor: Jim Beckett Business Manager: Don Smith Production Manager: Deb Lora Advertising; Barb Consitt, Chad Eedy" News; Heather Mir, Chris Skaikos, .Ross Haugh. Brenda Burke. Production; Alma Ballantyne, Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson . Brenda.Hem, Joyce Weber, Laurel Miner ' Itensoortation: Al Flynn, Al Hodgen Front Office & Accounting;.Elaine Pinder, Sue Roilings; Ruth Slaghtr .Ruthann Negrijn, Anita McDonald, Cassie Dalrymple The Exeter Times Advocate is:a member of a family of community newspapers ►" A r • r providing news,. advertising and information leadership 1919 - 19-.S°S, M ASSOC' • • Out of the frying pan his editorial is based on the premisethat the system of government in Ontario, both municipal and provin— cial, is not perfect: There was and is need :for change. It's also based on the_ fact. that no one -living in Ontario today. has`a-crystal ball which can tell them how the massive changes introduced last -month are going to work them- selves out. -So there will -be no cry here of "it's the end of democracy!" It's. too early to tell what's going to happen.. That said, however, based on past expe- riences, there are quite a few areas of , concern for ratepayers. - Back in 1994, the PCs were elected - because people were tired of high tax- es. Many felt those taxes were paying for.services they. either didn't need or didn't want others to have. The PCs are living up to their promise to, do something about those complaints and last. month we,witnessed the result. By shifting the tax burden for many services onto property taxes, the PCs have shown Ontarians just now many things their taxes did indeed pay for., They're also -forcing Ontarians to de- cide flow important those services are. fnrother words -- put your money . where your mouth is. Unfortunately: - over the past few years. people have be- come accustomed to having those ser- vices. They were willing, to_let their: provincial government go'into tremen ,t. dous debt to provide them. Wanting to be elected again, those governments provided those services by continuallyspending money it didn't have.'The staggering annual $10-billidn debt scared enough people into voting for the Tories. blow that many of those services will be paid for through proper -7= ty tax, aka municipal governments, peo- ple should be even more scared. Munic- ipal governments, unlike provincial and federal ones, cannot operate under deli- -cit financing. • • It's simply not allowed. Services pro vided-must be services paid for: How are :.municipalities therefore -going to be able to provide the same level -of service? Getting'rid of education from the prop- - erty tax is one step, but given what the province is loading onto property taxes in exchange, it's,.more a waltz than a tan- go -= one step forward, two steps back instead:of moving fluidly in 'tandem One plus to having the services paid • for on a local level is that local.govern : ments have always; -been the most re- sponsible and parsimonious. The -down side, of course, isthat they are not mov- ing targets like their federal and provin- cial counterparts. You know where to find your municipal councillors, and they will feel the heat when forced to make difficult decisions. The Hafiburron County Echo Your Views Letters to the editor Proud of improvement of town clock The lighting of the town clock is truly. a striking addition' to the ' Olde Town Hall... Dear' Editor. 1 am a great granddaughter of the late -George Hess ,f Zurich who built and • installed the tower clock in The Olde Town Hall, and I want to tell those responsible for the repair and illumination of this clock, how proud I am of their achievement. Many times 1 thought that clock was doomed and would never ring or keep time again, even to the ex- tent of being removed and destroyed. U was disturb-. ing to drive or walk the Main St. and see the PUC clock telling one time .and the Town clock another time and both_ being wrong. The lighting of the Town clock is truly a striking addition to the Olde Town Hall and the Town of Ex- eter. Pauline Simmons. Exeter A View from Queen's Park Publications Mail Registration Number 0386 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One year rate for Ontario subscribers - $35.00 + GST Two year rate for Ontario subscribers - S63.00 + OST CANADIAXADDRESSESIMIRMONtAin One year subscription - S83.00 + OST Two year subscription - S119.00 + GST OTHER RATES Outside Canada - S102.00 Published Each Wednesday Morning at 424 Main St., Exeter, Ontario, NOM 1S6 by 1. W. Eedy Publications Ltd. Telephone 1-519-235-1331 • Fax: 519-235-0766 e-rnaH address: ttmes.advocatetreedy.com O.S.T. *R105210835 Your Views Letters to the:editbr Thanks to Exeter , Community ... the needy of Huron. Will be able : to be- better.assisted ... Dear Editor: • I am witting ,to thank the Eteter Community on.' its support of. the: Huron United Way. Exeter dem- onstrates what caring and concerned citizens . are able to Bio when ,tttey see a need. Sl tial'thanks, to . the many volunteers for their help and dedication. Thanks to then generosity of -the lxcter.communi- • ty. itie needy in all .n Huron will -be able to he better assisted in the.coming year. Wcll,donel. Carol Randle For: Huron United Way • our sews Lethenr die editor Lion King coming to- SHDHS We promise • to shoo away those February blahs!!... Dear Editor: • :Lake live theatre, add the energy of, wonderful young people. exciting music and a great.story line and you have the recipe for a hit! Over MO area young people have been rehearsing,each week since early .October for their production of 'The kion King." The show will turf from Wednesday, Febru- ary 26 to, Saturday. March.] at SHD$S. Tickets are ,on sale now at Country Flowers. Purple Turtle, Ma- cLeans, Wuerth Sltues, or National,Tiust alt in Exct- er or Bank of Montreal in Hensall or by calling Lori Nesbitt 235-0750 or Terri Reid 235-)953_. The hardworking singers, dancers and actors range in age from 5 to IR. Their enthusiasm and dedication just need an audience to make it all worthwhile. Please join us for an exciting evening of laughter -and song. We promise to shoo'away those, February blahs!! Deb Homtith Exeter TORONTO -- A craving for change in Onta-• rio has made Progressive Conservative Ke- nner Mike Harris almost untouchable in the polls. The premier has had his most difficult month in the public eye since his election in 1995 with opposition parties, many municipal leaders and even some Tories and business friends criticiz- ing his plans to swap spending responsibilities with rnunicijialities and amalgamate Metropoli- tan Toronto. Many Tories had feared they would drop sharply in popularity. But the latest poll by. An- gus Reid/Southam News shows 52 per cent of Ontarians think Harris is on the right track. Anything remotely approaching this level of support would give the Tories a massive sweep in an election. Harris supporters are jubilant and complain- ing that the news media created a misleading impression that the premier had been deserted by public opinion. Many who endorse Harris's changes like them because they recognize clearly they will benefit. Pie province's takeover of the costs of education in exchange for municipalities paying more of the costs of welfare and, child and long- term care and all the costs of social housing helps mostly smaller towns and rural areas be- cause they have less welfare and less or no pub- lic housing. In urban areas where there are more welfare recipients and public housing, the impact is not as certain, because while on the face of it their municipalities will incur higher coots, Harris has promised funds to compensate, yet has estab- lished few ground rules. There is no guarantee the funds will be enough and consistently avail- able. Harris's plan to a large degree is a step into the unknown, but even in the Toronto area, where municipalities are most likely to face higher taxes, more endorsed Harris's changes than were against. A major reason for this is Ontarians over- whelmingly are looking for change. They be- came increasingly concerned at tax iticreases and deficits piled up by Tory governments in the Will Harris still be liked after changes? early 1980s, Liberals who racked up deficits even when the economy was strong and reve- nues pouring in between 1985 and 1990, and . the last strew of mammoth deficits heaped on by a New Democrat government, admittedly in tougher economic times between 1990 and '1995. In the 1995 election many clearly liked some of Harris's specific promises such as cutting govemment and taxes, but were attracted also simply because he promised and almost embod- ied dramatic change. When Harris launched his so-called Cominort Sense Revolution, his first words were, "Gov- ernment isn't working any more. The system is broken. It's time for it to make the same chang- es a lot of us have made in our own families and jobs," Harris mentioned change or a synonym like new solution or fresh look in almost every line. The NDP could promise little in the way of change, because it had made promises before and been unable to keep them, and the Liberals delayed making promises until after the election started and they turned out to be. a Watered- down version of Hams's, so Hams became rec- ognized as the leader who wanted change. If people were asked to associate one word with Harris, it probably would be change. Harris recognizes the value of this image and tries to maintain it. He constantly accuses the opposition parties of being "supporters of the status quo," although, for example, in re- arranging municipalities in the Toronto area an NDP government appointed the commission that sett the ball rolling. Hams's pamphlet promoting amalgamation was packed with promises like "Change will save money. Change will remove barriers to in- vestment. Change will create jobs. Change will make it easier to live and work together in a modern, safe, prosperous environment." This very much appeals to most Ontarians who know they don't want things to remain the same, hut the bigger test will be whether they still like Harris's changes when they start af- fecting them.