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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1984-07-11, Page 4VAirlr:F:71717714,117- '777- '1774177WANIPM1111114ggri ' )1,11101,7 • • 4 ilmes-Advocatip, July 11, 1944 Imes - dvocate • • Times Established 1873 Advocate Established 1881 Amalgamated 1924 Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873 Published by J.W. Eedy Publications Limited LORNE EEDY Publisher JIM BECKETT. Advertising Manager BILL BATTEN ROSS HAUGH Editor Assistant Editor HARRY DEVRIES Corhposit ion Manager C n DICK IONGKIND Business Manager 4PCNA Published Each Wednesday Morning at Exeter, Ontario Second Class Mail Registration Number 0386. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada: $22.00 Per year; U.S.A. $60.00 C.W.N.A., O.C.N.A. CLASS 'A' and 'ABC' 1 98 1 Underground economy More and more Canadians, it seems, are joining the thousands of individuals taking advantage of what has become known as the "underground economy", and the shift has produced an estimated $50 -billion worth of income on which governments aren't collec- ting taxes. Simply put, the underground economy is that murky system the includes, among thousands of other examples, the taxes not paid by waiters or waitresses who don't report the full extent of their tips. Or the plumber who moonlights after hours and gets paid in cold, hard, unreported cash. Indeed, in the broadest sense of the term, the underground economy includes everyone who receives money for handling tasks large and small, but doesn't report the income to the tax collector. The reason for the seeming increase In the underground network? Canadians are now paying 40 percent or more of their income in taxes and many feel they are being ripped off. So they fail to report some of the cash they earn, believing they are morally justified because the government will only waste the extra tax dollars anyway. They fully inderstand the practice is illegal, but the underground economy devotees are able to point to specific projects where governments are tossing away large chunks of taxpayer dollars. They may wonder why Ottawa's top civil servants are worth upwards of $110,000 per year, while their counterparts in the United States get only $72,000. Or why those who deliver the mail are able to earn $25,000 per year, while they are paid less, even though they may be better educated and harder workers. People working in the underground economy read about the banks and other major companies paying 10 to 20 percent of profits in taxes, when they feel the rate should be 50 percent or so. They also hear stories about the few hundred Canadians who pay no tax at all, even though they earn more than $100,000 per year. (That's known as good tax planning). What's sad is that the voluntary tax reporting system that has served us so well over the years is be- ing eroded each time an individual fails to pay tax, even on a few extra dollars worth of income. Such individuals are wrong when they break the law. But they do have a point when they talk about wasteful government spending. It has become clear that governments do spend a lot of taxpayer dollars needlessly, as one auditor general after another has noted. But that still doesn't justify tax evasion, which is really what we are talk- ing about. More of the same The changeover in Canada's government heirar- chy occurred last week and probably left most people with the realization that there has been little change at all. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau left office, but not before bestowing some lucrative jobs on a number of his faithful followers. Senate jobs, federal commissions and a few other juicy morsels were tossed out by the departing leader. While he may argue that their wisdom and experience warranted the plush positons, there will be others who suggested there are more qualified people and the ap- pointments were merely another long list of those who have enjoyed the benefits of backing Mr. Trudeau and his party during his tenure. However, the skepticism of that situation was dismissed by many in the knowledge that his successor had promised a new and leaner look for cabinet. That optimism, unfortunately, was probably un- founded. Prime Minister John Turner managed to cut some numbers from cabinet, but of the 29 postions re- tained, the nominees include 23 holdovers from the Trudeau era. That is not to suggest, of course, that Mr. Turner will not be able to bring new ideas and new approaches to national problems. It merely means that he will find it extremely difficult. His explanation, in one instance, was that he realiz- ed Canadians needed the assurance and continuity represented in finance minister Marc Lalonde. Canadians who were looking at the unemployment figures, rising interest rates and falling Canadian dollar at the same time as the announcement was made, have reason to wonder why they should suffer through more of that type of continuity and assurance. Walking on a tight -rope Exeter council members have decided to have legal representation at two zon- ing hearings being held by neighboring municipalities later this month. There were some cloak and dagger an- tics involved in the decision which was made following last week's regular meeting. The public was excluded from the discussion so at this point in time there is not definite indication of what stance the town will assume in the rezoning ap- plications being heard in Hay and Usborne. The Hay hearing pertains to the plann- ed development of an agri-industrial park in the lands adjecent to Huron Tractor, while the t sborne hearing will be on an application to rezone land near. the southern limits of Exeter along Highway 4 for an automobile dealership. It must he assumed that council will be expressing some degree of opposition or concern over the proposed rezonings otherwise the legal expense to he incur- red would hardly he justified. . * * • Clearly, the town is walking a tight- rope. On the one hand is the desire to have in- dustrial and commercial growth occur within the boundaries of the community. On the other is the obvious merit of hav- ing it as close as possible if the first criteria can not be accomplished. .1ust to muddy the waters a little more in the two situations at hand, many of the principals involved are also town ratepayers and as such have to help pay the cost of the argument that Exeter may present against the projects which those ratepayers are planning in the neighbor- ing municipalities. That's not an unusual situation, of course. It does, however„ point out that those involved already have a vested in- terest in Exeter and can probably argue quite conclusively that the developments they plan will be a direct benefit to the town as well. The town's coffers don't derive direct benefits from industrial or commercial development on the outskirts, but the resulting spin-off certainly boosts the BATT'N AROUND with the editor community as a whole and therefore in- directly can add to other commercial or residential assessment within the municipality. The tight -rope act becomes even more precarious if there is any danger that the town's opposition could result in a situa- tion where development does not take place at all, either within or outside the community. Obviously, council must recognize the ramifications and weigh carefully any plan of attack, particularly when that is being handled by an out-of-town lawyer who may not be cognizant of the delicate situation. It is also important that council be "up front" with any concern they may have over the rezoning matters. There are legitimate reasons for concern or opposi- tion from Exeter, but it should not be con- cealed or dealt with behind closed doors. Ratepayers have every right to know what position council wants legal representation to take on their behalf in public matters and it becomes even more imperative in situations where neighbors and even some local ratepayers may be on the other side of the fence. • • • • • There's no -doubt that Exeter has a legitimate reason for concern and therefore should be represented at the hearings. The town has invested a considerable amount of money in planning and pro- viding services for commercial and in- dustrial development and the consensus of planners is that such development should take place in areas where the ser- vice needs can be met. The proximity to Exeter is, after all, one of the basic ingredients for the suc- cess of either development if it does take place on the boundaries of the town. It's a major shopping area in Huron County and provides all the amenities for commercial, residential and industrial citizens. There will always he those who want the benfits that can he provided, but without having to pay some of the costs involved. Others merely are attempting to take advantage of the circumstances in which they find.themselves as responsi- ble business people. Sometimes, there is no viable alter- native for those who would perfer to have the services an are prepared to pay for them. Those are situations which are proper- ly argued at a rezoninghearing. All those involved should be prepared to listen to the arguments of others and understand the basis for those arguments, recogniz- ing that while they have some of the basic interests in common, they also have some noteable differences which should be presented to those who will make the decisions. A Fascination Summertime in this country is a mixture of so many wonderful things that I would happily leave for the next world, at once, it someone said td" me, "Sorry, old boy, but you'll never be able to spend another summer in Canada." Perhaps the eascination of a Canadian summer might be compared to fall- ing in love, once a year, with a passionate, un- predictable woman. Just as you are never quite sure where you're at with such a dame, you are never sure of what a Cana- dian Summer has in store for you. She might greet you with the warm, seductive scents of June and, just as you are about to seize her, retreat in to a frame of mind so chilly that you're diving for your recently discarded woollies. In July, she turns on the charm full blast, clutching you in a sizzling embrace that makes your head reeL and your feet falter. But when you throw caution to the winds and submit yourself entirely to the af- fair - in short, when you go on your holidays - she has a change of mood and %4•• •.;:r Sugar and Spice of summer Mesmeranda Summer. She delights in making kids whiny or sick, giving them simburn, and direc- ting them into patches of poison ivy. This for the Dispensed By Smiley 9Te." weeps for two weeks without pause. When August comes, her murmurous langor, the sheer, delectable sight and smell of her, sends you running once more in- to her round, golden arms - and her perfume gives you hayfever. On Labour Day, leaving you frustrated and broke, she smiles once, enigmatically, and heads • south to look for fresher lovers and bigger bankrolls. Ah, she's a bad one, old sake of tormentingiheir mothers. She doesn't like women, you see, that is, young women. And her malice towards them is easily grasped by looking at the costumes she persuades them to wear at the beaches and in town. I wouldn't be surprised to hear her chortling merri- ly about the topless 'swim suit silliness, which she doubtless started. • Teenagers she likes to tease. She fills them with mysterious urges and yearnings which make them drive like retarded orangoutangs, dance in their bare feet amid broken bottles and rat- tlesnakes, and fall in love with people who should be put away in institutions. She's not pure evil, though. She has a rather soft spot for the older folk. 'She warms their arthritic joints with her hot tender hands. She fills their lonley hearts with pleasures in her loveliness. And she reminds them, in subtle fashion, of the days when they knew her long ago, when they were young and passionate themselves. Every time I feel the cool, smooth hands of children after swimm- ing, every time I walk a lonely beach and see likhts across the bay, every time I hear the silken rustling of her garments in the evening trees, I know I am once again in thrall to the wonderful witch - Cana- dian summer. And I'm glad. Hope it never .changes Last week I told you about the Forest Excelsior Band going to Ottawa for Canada Day. Being in our nation's capital on that day is one memory that no one could soon forget. The whole area around the Parliament Buildings is sealed off to traffic. Thousands of people throng the streets to see jugglers, travelling maki- clans, dancers and acrobats. On the river and the canal system are flotillas of canoes and sail- boats, demonstrations of wind -surfing, water-ski shows. All of it free. All ar- ranged as a shaping ex- perience for thepeoplOof Canada. I realize that most towns and cities throughput the country are cel similarly but there is a real difference being in Ottawa itself. You feel as if you are a part of the history contain - Down on one corner of the 'Hill' is a large makeshift tent, the head- quarters of a group of Perspectives By Syd Fletcher ed in those huge buildings, and seeing the big voyageur canoes moving along the Ottawa river it isn't too hard to move back in time a couple of hundred years ago when that river was the centre of the fur trading system qf the North-West Company. 'peace protesters'. They have been camped there for a long time and have vowed to stay there until peace is accomplished. Though their tent does • not add to the beautiful ap- pearance of the hill I like it. I think that they are a symbol of the freedom that we enjoy in this coun- try. People are allowed to express an opinion without fear of being thrown -in jail. Can you picture wat would happen to a similar group setting up in Red Square, Moscow? They wouldn't last a day. Similarly, a group of clowns were parading around the lower part of the hill. Each was wetirblg a Canadian flag as a cape. In the States somebody would have assaulted them for being disrespect- ful to "Old Glory" if they were wearing the American flag that way. Does that mean that Canadians feel less proud of their country? I think not. It's more of an easy faMillarity with it and themselves, a feeling of friendly caring. I hope it nev r changes. r •