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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-04-26, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, April 26. 1995 Publisher & Editor: Jim Beckett Business Manager: Don Smith Production Manager: Deb Lord Advertising; Barb Consist News; Heather Vincent, Chris Skalkos, Ross Haugh, Ingrid Nielsen Production; Alma Ballantyne, Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson Robert Nicol, Brenda Hern, Joyce Weber, Laurel Miner, Marg Flynn Transportation: Al Flynn, Al Hodgert Front Office & Accounting; Elaine Pinder, Sue Rollings, Ruthanne Negrijn, Anita McDonald, Cassie Dalrymple The Exeter Times -Advocate is a member of a family of community newspapers »0.10a'v,,� providing news, advertising and information leadership E • • inion E1)11 OM 11.ti Zero increase??? xeter Town Council is expected to ratify their proposed budget for 1995 which will see the town join the county in holding their share of the mill rate at last year's level. That's the good news, as these two different levels of government only make up part of your tax bill. The bad news is the Huron County Board of Education couldn't hold the line with their budget. Because they were forced to increase the influx of cash they say is necessary to properly educate our children, taxpayers in Exeter will be forced into cough- ing up a.few extra dollars. According to Clerk -Treasurer Liz Bell the tax increase will amount to an average of $50 for public school supporters and an added $10 for separate school supporters. Is the Town of Exeter better managed than the Board of Education? At first glance the numbers would indicate exactly that, but when it comes to budgets and explaining things to taxpayers, things are not always crystal clear. Education officials will say they worked long and hard on keeping tax increases to a minimum. It was complying with mandated expenditures forced on the local board by the Ministry of Education that left local officials ii, need. Forced to provide more services while receiving less from the province doesn't leave Publications Mail Registration Number 0386 SUBSCRIATiA RATES: awl Within 40 miles (65 tuts.) addressed to nal tetter curler addresses 633.00 plus 62.31 Q.S.T. Outside 40 miles (66 km.) or any letter carrier address 633.00 plus 530.00 (total 63.00) + 4.31 Q.S.T. Outside Canada 699.00 plus 66.93 QST (Includes 668.40 instep) Published Each Wednesday Morning at 424 Main St., Exeter, Ontario, NOM 156 by J.W. Eedy Publications Ltd. Telephone 1-519.2361331 • Fax: 5162360766 Nt1051/04135 IGGDZMJW 4 rWMR, ✓1 much alternative. Exeter is in a little more favourable position because they are able to combine the prudent management of our Town Council with the good fortune of having an increase in assess- ment. Projects like the newly announced Tim Horton's donut shop and a variety of additional new construction mean Exeter's base is growing at a quick enough pace to cover expenditures without resorting to a jump in taxation. The Old Town Hall construction project can be handled without additional cost because councilors had the foresight to take advantage of infrastructure grants from the province. But these grants from Toronto are really just hand- outs of our own money. How the NDP govern- ment can disperse such huge amounts of cash to practically every community in the province, in- crease demands on education and health servic- es and still claim they have a handle on the defi- cit defies every basic accounting principle imaginable. By the time the tax bills are sent out from Ex- eter we'll understand that no matter how the deck is shuffled, all the financial games played in Ottawa, Toronto, Huron County and Exeter eventually end up in the same place the taxpayers' mail box. Canada's costly lesson on taxes 'snowbird', who spends about three months each winter in Florida, brought this editorial from the Tampa Tribune newspa- per into the office last week. He thought our readers might find it interesting. The phrase "tax burden" is often used to de- scribe the tax rate, and it implies a rate oppres- sively high. Even in well-run towns with mod- est property taxes, a lowering of the rate is commonly referred to as "reducing the tax bur- den." But it is not necessarily a "Burden" to buy the basic things a town needs: roads, parks, po- lice protection and so on. Nor is it a burden to buy what the state and nation need. For a real lesson in when taxes become a burden, we can look to neighbouring Canada. Taxes in Canada are so high they are crush- ing the life out of the economy. Canada tried to raise more revenue in 1990 by raising taxes on incomes, and in 1991 added a seven percent national sales tax on top of local sales taxes. "After a very brief, successful experiment with lower tax rates on just about everything, when surtaxes on high incomes did not work, they were followed by surtaxes on moderate incomes," reports economist Alan Reynolds in the Hudson Policy Bulletin. Rates were raised in an effort to collect more cash for the government, but over the past four years Canadian tax revenues fell by 14.5 per- cent. Meanwhile in the United States, tax reve- nues from relatively stable and considerably lower rates resulted in a revenue increase of 26 percent. Until the rates were raised sharply four years ago, Canadian revenues had been steadily ris- ing. Reynolds says that to blame a weakening economy for such a long period of falling reve- nues is to confuse cause and effect. High taxes damages work incentives, increased unemploy- ment, frightened away international investors, pushed the Canadian dollar lower, and helped make the Canadian stock market, since 1989, one of the world's worst places to invest. Opinions differ on when taxes become a true burden. But all should agree that when the tax rate is so high it bring in less money, that is without question an overload. No one can be sure when the magic rate is reached that maximizes revenue from a certain tax, just as no one is sure what combination of forces will tip an economy into recession. But the Canadian experience proves that all govern- ments are wise to err on the low side. St. Marys Journal Argus '41;4' iivcc#7 t'. t SOLIEREIGT'( STE ins "i'(X) MANY C(X)KS... On the road 'again... A View From Queen's Park TORONTO Premier Bob Rae had hoped he would be called on to save the nation during the Ontario election, but it looks like his talents will not be needed. The New Democrat premier felt that if there was a serious threat that Quebec would separ- ate at the same time he was running for re- election, it would give him an opening to show he is needed and outshine his rivals. But a serious threat has not developed -- far from it. The separatists instead are fumbling, stumbling, retreating and quarreling among themselves and Rae has watched in dismay as a potential issue has gone down the drain. Rae, with only between 15-19 percent in polls, needs issues that can divert voters from his many domestic problems. He could have been excused for thinking he had found one when the Parti Quebecois won a provincial election last September in which it promised to hold a referendum on separation by this summer. By Eric Dowd The PQ, true, had scraped in with only 45 percent of the vote, but there was apprehension understandably that using the resources of gov- ernment it might be able quickly to persuade more of the merits of separating. Rae could then have portrayed himself as the only leader with experience in dealing with oth- er governments and particularly the Quebec is- sue, because he has been at the hart of constitu- tional talks for five years. This also is the type of issue which displays Rae's strengths. He speaks eloquently and pas- sionately on momentous topics such as national unity, while Liberal leader Lyn McLeod and Progressive Conservative leader Mike Harris plod by comparison. Rae's intellect and mastery of words also show in the game of intergovernmental skir- mishes and he invariably comes away de- scribed by news media as the smartest partici- pant. This is a forum made for him. Rae's supporters already had tried to get By Ross Haugh More on farm safety Two weeks ago we talked about noise being a hazard in farming operation, this week we would like to continue on the same theme, but specializing on farm animals. Few farm people look upon " 'heir livestock as a source of danger. However, a number of serious injuries and deaths oc- cur every year as a result of ani- mal -related accidents. Agrciultural specilaization has changed handling methods in recent years. The large size of many herds makes safety awareness imperative to effi- cient farm operations. Anyone who has worked with livestock realizes that each ani- mal has its own personality. Farm animals' senses differ a great deal from those of hu- mans. Cattle, swine and horses see things very differently. For example, cattle have close to 360 degree panoramic vision. A quick movement behind them may 'spook' these animals. Farm animals see things in black and white and not colour. They also have difficulty judg- ing distances. These factors ex- plain why animals are often balky and skittish, particularly in unfamiliar surroundings. Animals have extremely sen- sitive hearing and can detect sounds that our ears cannot hear. Loud noise frightens ani- mals, and research shows that high frequency sounds acutally hurt their ears. An appreciation of animals' characteristics is crucial to working safely with livestock. These traits should also be con- sidered when designing live- stock facilities. Many livestock handling inju- ries are directly related to equip- ment or building structures. Such mishaps are not restricted to people; poor facilities and equipment can also cause inju- ries to animals. This can mean considerable economic loss at market time. Considerable planning should precede capital investment in new facilities. Building design should take present circumstanc- es into account and provide for any future expansion. County agricultural engineers can assist with the planning of new new buildings or extensive renova- tions. Poor flooring is a major cause of livestock and human falls. A recent U.S. study found that falls accounted for 18 percent of all animal -related accidents. Floors should be of impervi- ous material, preferably con- crete. The finish on concrete floors should be roughened to prevent slips under wet condi- tions. High traffic areas, such as passageways, should be grooved. Floors should be constructed • in such a manner that water will drain away readily. Slatted floors are commonly used to keep animals dry in a confine- ment system. Fencing and gates are exteme- ly important in any livestock faclity and should be strong enough to withstand animal crowding. A variety of materials are available; remember that the key is strength and durability. Fences and gates should also be free of any sharp projections such as nails or wire, that could injure animals. Alley and loading chutes should be wide enough to allow an animal to pass, but not wide enough to allow it to turn around. Use solid -walled chutes, not open fencing. This will greatly reduce animals balking in the chute. The loading chute should be kept clean to prevent falls. Lighting in a livestock facility should be even and diffused. Bright spots and shadows tend to make animals more skittish, particularly in crowding or load- ing areas. Avoid layouts that make ani- mals look into the sun; this is particularly important with load- ing areas. Animals will move more easily from a dark area to a light area rather than the re- verse. Type and duration of lighting may play a role in pro- ductivity of some animals. Rae's talents not needed in PQ referendum across the message the Quebec issue needs him. Former Manitoba NDP premier Howard Pauley said that neither McLeod nor Harris would make a credible premier and asked: "Do you trust them to be the leader of Ontario, ne- gotiating with (PQ Premier) Jacques Parizeau?" Rae also offered to go to Quebec and speak on behalf of Canada, first on TV and again dur- ing a visit by the Quebec Liberal and federalist leader, Daniel Johnson. Rae could have escaped criticisms that he was going merely to win votes, because it can be argued that the premier of the most populous English-speaking province should go to Que- bec in a referendum campaign , Offering rea- sons and inducements for it to stay. Tory pre- mier William Davis also spoke in Quebec several times before the referendum of 1980. But Rae would now have difficulty proving there is any imminent danger of Quebec's sep- arating. The PQ, despite being in government, has been unable to increase support in polls for unqualified separation and most Quebeckers have shown much more interest in the economy and jobs. The PQ has had to postpone its referendum until the fall at the earliest and is not even cer- tain it will hold it then. It also is squabbling over whether it should climb down and ask Quebeckers whether they want separation with some form of political as- sociation with Canada as its only chance of winning support. The separatist movement may rise again, but in Ontario it is now almost a laughingstock. Ontarians during the last Quebec election said they were not much concerned about separation and more with their own bread-and-butter is- sues. If Rae were to claim in an Ontario election nkat voters should keep him because of the clan - Or of Quebec separation, they would ask what danger and say they have no need of a saviour.