HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1976-08-05, Page 6PAGE ;,6—rO' ERICI• SIGNAL=STAR, TI-IURSDAY, AUGUST 5,.1';176
rt.
Letters are'apprecooted b 89 b Troiter Wale na Elydua.Ont N313' -2C7
Rural .municipalities 'in some areas of . this province
fell'•` for -the ballyhoo of `regional government • daring the
1960sand '70s:.
'•• Close'•to a dozen: catinty� councils bowed' to, the pressure.
including Carleton, `ti'elland', Lincoln, hlentworth, Water
loo; Peel. and Halton • These regional' governments, it tis•as'
said, woiild solve all'ktnds'of problem, including road jur-
'*tsdirtiaz, . health ,and' welfare. parks ,andrecreation and
you-naina-it. ,.i •i
Vie -areas In tchere regional government took over, t•he
small inunicipalities. in many E•'ases, were amalgamated.
The rural townships Were thrown in with'toWns and the
police villages disappeared. "
At the time. this corner favored the idea.. Regional goy-
ernment sounded like the obvious answer to some perplex-'
municipal problems:
• •
. AS-a-•varng- 'ep3etcrI ,eavt r� �ntv cru
..•.it,P*ter
• 'borough, Victoria, Oxford, fejiington and Waterloo:.' :_at
that time, manycounty, councils were'. inefficient. I can
recall corning to a -county L°ouncil .meeting at the .scheduled -
tithe cif• 10 a:m and Waiting an hour and a half for the
warded to begin proceedings. The meeting lasted -20 rein-
_.._Utes_TCouncil-adjLusned_ior..a..tti}uid luiigh... By$• _m_ 1e
than a quorum of members was.• available and the clerk''
searched ante -robins•• and offices to get the necessary
number. In another •'10 minutes, half of the quorum- was.
.sound asleep after their liquid lunch.
• ' 14usiness was done by half a dozen. members and the
• sleepyheads were roused out of their stupor only to vote. •
This is not to suggest that all county councils 'were' -' or.
are - in the same bracket.. .Many kept the dignity.nec-.
essary and did the taxpayers:' business properly, . But
many didn't. • ' • ' • . ' '
Regional government seemed:tobe a good answer.''
Personally. 1 do not. think ,it bas been a- good answer • iii
• most areas
°"� . Township councils got their work done properly. Mem: ,
hers spetit,money as though it were their own -' which it
: was.- and not a 'penny was wasted. Yes, . it •oras irritattfng.
' for a. reporter to properly cover.those meetings..
Members talked ,of everything under the 'sun during bus-
iness sessions of council but they did°do a conscientious,
job and I, for one:, hated 'to. see many of them go the Way
of all flesh. Regional gotierninents wherever they have been formed'
haVe','brought ,with them another •layer of 'bureaucracy: '
another barrier between the=ratepayers and the politicians.: "
In too many ,instances, the officjais have become high -paid
emperor's of paper kingiioms with lieutenants',' clerks;
secretaries°and firs( ssistants to the third assistants in
charge of eleaning.:out spittoons: •
In the shuffle; the personal, contact. that was evident in
smaller councils has,been lost.
Ruraltreeves, deputies and councillors = and. the clerks''"
and' road' superintendents. too - to k all ratepayers' prob-'
Ien'is personally, • The problem of a',1looded mariureyard
'caused by -a; road ,widenirig project: was handled by. that -.
rural council; •
In 'a :regional government,• some picayune politi' I ap-
pointee comes between the farmer -and ,council. ;T7lefier-
sonal touch is lost..'
• That's why it was 'refreshing to hear that Grey`, and
Bruce councils two of the best. beef -producing counties
in. this province, •are making: haste slowly in suggested •
es changes to their county councils. All kinds of ideas have .
Been suggested such as • cu:timg -tfie: iff mier 6rmu'nicipali-
ties drastically and having 'fewer members, of county.
cotaicil. •
My advice for• what it's worth*- and My wile will:te11
you'•it isn't worth:a pound of -powdered milk - is for those
;'ural --people in any area of this province to' tread softly
and slowly before making any moves to changing the struc-
ture of county councils.
It may sound -like hearsay but 1 like rural councils
the way they are or were in' some cases where the
• changes have already been made. I enjoyed the personal
touch. I liked- the manner in which every dollar' spent
was a dollar earned and • the people doing the spending
1wer'e elected' council members, not an army of degreed
paper -pushers. Most ,pf whom• have:never been in barn-
', yard and wou,ldn;t know a Holsteinfrom a Hereford.
Hang onto what at you'vegot out there, ri y friends.: -
Allow• the changes only, when y u are sure the rural
municipalities are going to get a faif�shake:
DAVE HAYLOW
ELECTRICAL
Serving
lndustr.ial,. Commercial,
's"went a1 i'leeds""`
5 2 4-603 8
Jofk pr�4ucerswilI.
:name: ?queen agar`n
• 3'l to rt?t _ �1 r .-„�"'�itrti
Producers Association . willtants must be between
hold their Annual •Pork.• ages -of 18 and 35' years-'
Dietl
- Barbecue and.Pork .'Hostess
_Contest?... in..h . Saafo
on Trsday,. August 26.
This event'' always draws
• large crowds' and this year is
not expected' to beaii ex-
=-ception Last year -hundreds
had' to' be turned back. It is
advisable to_ purchase your
tickets, early, as only 1300
tickets_will.-be- available: rom: -
the directors:
The Pork Hdstess Contest is
expanded this •' year td include
UT M �f A. � � �° •
S 0 . ,:. RM . WORK
.-Shan:non andHunter Ltd.
RR 3, Goderir_h ___._
HIGH CAPACITY•EQIIPMEtkiT.
AVAILABLE FOR
*-Plowing and Chisel Plowing:*'
CALL
, .,P :antins ..,
BOB -':5291=768"1 .
TIM 7 5.29-7561 9 6;►.m.
ATTENTION
FARMERS
For. Control of 'Grain
Insects, in your Storage Bins
W •IN STO=CK
• Get yours today 4,
eliflimmmosionemiumsomiumssomminunionsiemilmetiminummisi
•
BAL_ER TWINE
• Golden• Harvest &^ Haymeic ,
:N•Ow q J
10,000• ft. Bale.
M. J. SMITH
CHATHAM
GODERICH
PORT ALBERT
LTD.
529.71 35
11 1 • - 1 .
Huron F of A.present$--thoughiful
•
brief to govt on. ta..x reform
•
°pmere-d-r�frtistration.
The followfig is a coy of - :if- we -don't- pay -aur ,taxes
the brief which Was presented ourselves 'Any future Having the full_ hundred
to the Commission to 'Review 'government - could use• thepercent of tax paid by owners
Proposals for Property :Tax " taxes they hold• as a weapon of farmland who do not use
.. Reform in Ontario by the , to• make municipal govern -. the land for farmilig will ,not
Huron :County Federation of meat do their bidding: Never help to keep farmland in food
A riculture. S okesmen 'for before have farmers refused production, .The, speculator .
g P
the:, F ''of A. were .President to Pa ir• FAIR SPARE ofwill sithply do
..
some token
*Adrian Vos and Ch itm an of.. the :tax burden andWet don't •farthing arid, whenthe land
,
the Properties Committee intend -to shirkour respon- Use cha-ages and
sibilities'now. , back .the taxes the 'govern -
Maurice Bean. = .
t+_ tv,'
The propoSals for -changes
in property taxation - in.
Ontario; as.:.•presented in the
paper , by the Ministry. of
Treasury, Economjcs and
%tergocerhit ental' --Affairs;
have been thoroughly studied
• at Committee Directors and
at membership meetings Of
the•.Iluro7i County Federation
'of Agriculture.• • .
The •unanimous conclusion
is 'that the proposals are not
acceptable as inequities as
they now exist, will .not be
rectified and„ new inequities
-will he created. The rejection
•
• is based ;on the followiing.
points :
While it is well known
among those.. who , make it
their business; to know, that
farm subsidies "" are con-
siderably lower than those•for
other industries, 'y it is
generally thought amongthe
daily press, and therefore by
the general :-public, that
farmers live on subsidies •and
handouts by' the various
If the -government -pays our nett has been paying for him
taxes, --f-or ° us, , controlling in the .last ten years, he can
trespassing Would become look :back . on having hadthe
much more difficult, as use of the• tax money,: at the
hunters and s•,nowm.obilers; low interest,of etght'percent.
possibly,•• . with.••.• -some It could even be an in
justification, could.' demand • ducernerit. for' land..
access for these recreational speculation.
..,: :."..,_r
activities.,- because part of e are-'of"ihe o'prrrion-that--
these taxes comes'from their farmland Should be taxed at a
pockets. • percentage of market value
The division : of taxes tied to the productive value.
through ability to pay would
be an added'inequity 'under The• farmer is perfectly
�.. q_ Y —._willing to pay taxes as anyone
the :- proposwit 'system, a .__.else. 'His return on ,his
landsowner with a large iaftd' production should be such
area and a • small , house,. that he, can_ pay his 'taxes. To
• presumably would pay lower have :government pay his
taxes than ,the senafarmer taxes' aW-id1 only be a con-
with,a large house. tinuation of a .t�gheap food
Churches provide.; a' real..policy $
service to' any,' community -
through their endeavors • in ' The Huron County
or
the maintenance of the moral Federa.tilin of :Agriculture„
values of our people. To tax speaking on behalf of 2100 •
them on their property could ••u Individual Service Members,
mean that • some churches favours the principle as set.
that are •now struggling•' to. forth •in ..the .policy of the
remain viable wouldhave to Ontario Federation of
close.' • This could . result in ,Agriculture that -Services
higher cost to the taxpayer ”. to. people should be : paid by..,
through an increase in people and services to
vandalism and other Property should be paid by..
"People taxes" such--. - -as
education'. taxes should be
completely removed from -
•property and . should be
assessed on', ability to pay, ,
thus on income. If this were
done, the farm tax rebate,
which forces the farmer to:
ment'• every year,
beg for • 'ley from " the
govern
could be abolished. •-' : '
If; land use..shou'ld change
away from farm ing;•the.last-
ten years could be reassessed
as speculative land and the
additional tares, : if. . any, --
'should be levied at an interest
r
rate as chaged by the banks.
I ist4utions that have in-'
eorres.--shoulti b'e taxed -air
thier�incoine`and not on their
property. If for. instance, , •
church has an income from
investments this . income
should be taxed.. If, on .the
'other hand a- small church
has just enough. income to
maintain the • church
buildings 'and pay the
minister, rabbi or priest, they
should not be taxed.
In the brief we have set
why. we oppose the proposals.
We have however not been all
negative and have suggested
some positive' •alternatives.
We commend the Minister for.
recognizing that the .present '
tax laws are,, not equitable,
but we are•of .the opinion that
the -proposals as presented
would do amore to accentuate
tie inequities than to elimi
•
levels of government: This delinquencies'. The increase = the owners of the property'', ` - ate them,
impression' will • be in tax revenue would • be
strengthened even more if undoubtedly -be more than -
Ontario's government pays offset by the increase..,in cost
, . rn other areas: •
the taxes, on ,' one • hundred
percentof the value of far- Schools universities and
mland'and buildings." We, as . hospitals are now,for a great
farmers belonging to the deal' maintained by the levies
Huron Federation of on municipalities through
• A riculture, :are. too proud' to local -faxes If a property tax
-T-.. i -tl�r. "J• .a�s;� �,13,it;-•tr>i'e'�:• G: �;_::
the even if We ourselves know it:will only mean that:the tax
In, that this -isnot the case.. levies ' of the benefitting
June 1977, the winner. will - R b t th 1 municipalities have £o be
ner- s•
benefit if on the one handtax'
income to - -the _..muni_cipal:ities
is increased and on; the other
hand it is taken away. It will
be',like moving money -from
the right pocket to"the' left ..
pocket withthe extra' cosi of
re resent oro
the Ontario Pork Congress.
Bainton's Old- Mill has once
moronated the first prize
in the form of a beautiful
.:-pigskin .,, jacket, .: Last .years
winner, Miss Cathy Madill tf'
Blyth, will do the honors and
crown the 1976.Pork Hostess..
_Any ladyeligililo"e obtain"
an entree! form from •the.
directors of the Pork
Producer Association. •
Attention:
armers
A-'F.OR SALE.
PIG Feeders, approximately
80'tons of high moisture corn
for sale, $70. per ton. Phone
524-6309 after 7 p.m. -31,32
GRAIN' for. sale, 3-way_mix,
barley;, oats.- and • wheat..
• Phone 526-7732.-30tfnc
B- CUSTOM WORK
• WILL DO custom combining;
and swathing, Phone 523-4260.
-31,32
CUSTOM swathing and combing
for grain dr corn. Phone Garth
W al den523-9295.-29,30,31, 32
• ,'__STEVE'S • custom .swathing:
GRAIN_ for sale, -3-way mix, 'Steve • Buchanan, RR 6,•
barley, oats and wheat: •!Goderich, phone. 524-6353::
Phone 526-7732.-30tfnc-30=33
B- CUSTOM WORK
- LIVESTOCK
EIGHT lambs,
'CUSTOM :Swathing. Phone 8055..-32x
524-8845 or 524:2490.. -32nc
CLAY
Silo -Unloaders
- Feeders' -
Cleaners_ _
- 'Stabling
r'og ;Elevators
Liquid Manure Equipment-
- Hog' Equipment.
FARAAATIC
r' I1Ail is
- hugers, etc...
. ACORN
Cleaners
-`Heated Waterers
ZERr1
B ulk Tanks •
Pipeline & Parlour Equipment
ESTE E L-ROSCO-Granaries
B d, L -• Nog Panelling
Bulk Tank•& Pipeline cleaning .•
Detergents, Teat Dip, etc.
Bovadine ....
Dyne
• Losan
Uddei'san
$oamcheck
Kleeneasy
elliiisissermselegae
N
LOWRYFARM SYSTEMS
RR:1, Kincardine, Ontario '
Phone 395.5286
phone 524=,
1
ONLY YOU CAN
• GIVE; THE GIFT.•
-. OF LIFEI
eservation a ou• e p an •
• the rigfir-a-b-w
ship, if another party pays the
taxes-- on ..-prioperty 'for _..an
extended period of time.
We have. also a very real
fear that our- voice as tax-
payers in our focal govern-
ments will be further eroded
look——'imbolikice—ivii
Look ; neighbour
MORE THA
•
BRUCE MA.CD9NALD
ELECTRIC•
Domestic -Commercial -Industrial
133 Britannia
?hose Evenings 5 24-8'1' 46
DRILLING
NEW HOMES and FARMS..
- Free Estimates
You and your family deserve the best of water
so
don't 'hesitate to call
TOM . LANG
_`i PHONE 5 2 4-6 410 -
1 M1L'E NORTH'ON, HI4HWAY 21, GOD.ERICIi•
Y�rtt,5, q
�es and Peaches,
weer Corn
Lcissaline.
. •
FRESH'
DAILY; rcharcis--
•
21, MILES FROM No.,8 FtiGHWAY ON'
DRIVE IN ROAD SOUTH. OF GODERICH
ti
524...;.-7Y72
.a.
i' .;,
t3utler® 1..,
All -Season® Ventilation System .
controls condensation, Odors.?
odrafts: Air:int=ake;exhaust,.
and circulation are automatic.
• But don't take our word for -it.
Ask a:neighbourwho owns Butler.
[ynfl: Lowry farm Equipment'
ROUTE I Limited
KINCARDINE, ONTARIO PHONE ,519-395-5286`
`OUR FACILITIES ARE HERE
TO: SERVE:Y'OU BETTER"
•
FAST1OADING PROMPT' S•EIy4ENT
TRUCKS`A.VJAILABLE
CHATHAM
GOPERICH
PORT ALBERT'.
LTD.
529.7135