Zurich Citizens News, 1961-01-05, Page 7THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 1961
ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS
For and Against the Abolition of County Councils
* *
(By George Cadogan in The
Toronto Daily Star)
When delegates from 24 coun-
ties in Ontario met recently at
Hamilton to put some new life in-
to county councils, they were real-
ly beating a dead horse.
Their idea was to form an or-
ganization that would promote the
county.council acuse and steer leg-
islation into being to beef up the
council's power,
But the fact that such a meet-
ing was held is an admission that
county councils have outlived their
usefulness.
Delegates said their initial ob-
jective was to call a halt to an-
nexation proceedings.
Over the years thousands of
suburban property holders have
signed petitions to have their land
annexed to the nearest city. Coun-
ty councillors fight annexation be-
cause they do not want to lose
property on which they collect tax-
es.
Rural municipalities cannot af-
ford to provide services such as
water and sewers, but they are re-
luctant to lose property to urban
municipalities that can and will
provide such services.
The continuing expansion of
cities threatens to extinguish sev-
eral rural municipalities. Water-
loo County, for example, has al-
ready lost 25,000 acres, assessed at
$200 millions.
Sugar Coating
Robert Baldwin introduced cou-
nty government in Upper Canada
in 1849. In the words of one hist-
orian it was a small measure of
self-government offered as a sugar
coating for increased taxes-- part-
icularly roads.
Since that time the Province has
appropriated a 11 m of o r vehicle
Useful County Councils
(By F. Macintyre,
Numerous arguments are pre-
sented from time time in an
effort to prove that county
councils in Ontario have out-
lived their usefulness. It is
argued that to bring men to
the county seat from all sec-
tions of the county and pay
them for three or four weeks'
work, is an expensive system
of administration. A commis-
sion made up of a few men
could do the work just as ef-
ficiency at less cost, opponents
of county councils contend.
From past experience, the
further that a ruling body is
removed from the people it
represents, the less satisfac-
tory that service is likely to
Dundalk Herald,, in Telegram)
be. It would not be nearly as
democratic a system as the
one which has been in effect
for many years, where the
elected representatives are an-
swerable to the people.
County councils are some
times carried away by civic
pride. They allow palatial ad-
ministration buildings, costly
hornes for the aged and other
buildings to be erected, on
which liberal provincial grants
are received.
As a general rule, the think-
ing of the average county
council is sound and practical.
The members know what their
contituents want and admin-
ister accordingly.
taxes and all motor fuel taxes, but
has assumed full responsibility for
only 15 percent of the road mile-
age.
Today 85 percent of the mileage
of public roads in Ontario is built
and maintained largely by a tax on
property.
A provincial subsidy of 50 per-
cent is paid on roads but tens of
thousands of property holders (mo-
stly farmers) outside the cities are
paying from 15 to 20 mills in road
taxes. And these taxes are increas-
ing year by year.
The inequality of road taxes is
being aggravated by the declining
influence of county government.
Here is an illustration: All mun-
icipalities i n acounty must p a y
town or township road taxes PLUS
county road taxes. However, over
the years, many cities and several
towns have been permitted to wi-
thdraw from their respective coun-
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Reduces Taxes
A growing number of other to-
wns are clamourng to get out from
under the increasing burden of
county -road taxes. T h e province
has declined all these petitions in
recent years. However, c o u n t y
councillors have been forced t o
make concessions to placate the
towns. Road -tax rebates up to fifty of public administration, Cherie -
percent are now being granted by ton College, Ottawa. After refer-
ring at some length to county
Councils, Dr. Rowat said:
their fellows in another county.
These holiday outings are invar-
iably at the expense of the taxpay-
ers.
Such anomalies have been able
to creep in because the county
council lacks the safe -guards that
are an integral part of government
in other fields.
Hanky Panky
In the local field ratepayers
have protection because town and
township councillors are seen in
the vicinity from day to day and
can be reached on the same tele-
phine circuit,
The taxpayer has some protec-
tion in the provincial and federal
field through the official opposi-
tion. Any hanky panky by the
party in power stands a good chan-
ce of being exposed by opposition
members.
In Canada the western provinces
abolished county councils years
ago. The Maritimes never had
county councils.
Only Ontario and Quebec contin-
ue to tolerate the county council
form of government, but in Que-
bec it is strictly a rural organiza-
tion.
In 1955 a book was published by
Dr. Donald C. Rowat, associate pro-
fessor of political science, school
counties to towns. These rebates
add to the burden of the farmer in
the township.
If the county councils were abol-
ished their small road mileage (in
some counties only two or three -
hundred miles) could be taken over
by t h e government that collects
all the vehicle and gasoline taxes.
Township taxes would then be re-
duced as much as 10 mills.
The county form of government
has already lost its authority in
various fields where it once held
sway.
Years ago the county council
played a leading part in secondary
education, did, in fact, collect tax-
es for this purpose. However, sin-
ce high school areas have been es-
tablished there is no longer any ex-
cuse for county education commit-
tees.
A similar situation has developed
with regard to reforestation. For
many years county councils were
active in buying up waste land.
This land was planted to trees and
administered through an agree-
ment with the Ontario Department
of Lands and Forests.
But today most of the province
is covered with conservation auth-
orities. These authorities include
reforestation in their overall pro-
gram. County council reforesta-
tion committees now merely mark
time; they leave the work to the
conservation authority where it
rightly belongs.
County councils have been set-
ting up health units and in some
cases they have an uneasy alliance
with children's aicl societies. But
there is no reason why health un-
its and aid societies could not carry
on their work at least as efficiently
by dealing through town and town-
ship councils.
Santa Claus
In 20 years of reporting sessions
in three different counties, it seems
to me that county councils are lit-
tle more than collectors for chari-
table organizations.
Each year county councils hand
out donations by the tens of thous-
ands of dollars. They give to the
CNIB and the Salvation Army and
the Cancer fund. They donate to
fall fairs and cattle clubs and sheep
shows. They hand out huge sums
for hospitals and legion halls and
hockey rinks.
To award such grants, as many
as 40 reeves and deputies (at $10
or $15 each per diem) may sit for a
couple of days listening to ap-
peals for funds. Then the commit-
tees meet for another day to decide
how much to give.
This costly procedure overlaps
what is being done by members
municipalities at the local level.
Despite the time taken to play
Santa Claus, county councilors have
been finding it increasingly diffi-
cult to occupy their time. They
like to make a full week of each
session as their grandfathers did
before them in the horse and bug-
gy days.
Today's county councillors have
developed some extravagant ploys
to fill out the week. At the Nov-
ember session it is not uncommon
for an entire county council to
charter a bus trip to the Royal
Winter Fair. At the summer ses-
sion they may take a day or two
to visit the St. Lawrence Seaway
or have a social get-together with
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Lutheran Women
Elect Officers
For Coming Year
The Golden Age members of St.
Peter's Lutheran Church, Zurich,
were guests of the United Luther-
an Church Women on Sunday af-
ternoon, December 4. A program
began the social afternoon.
Vocal duets were rendered by
Ruth Ann Flaxbard and Shirley
Flaxbard, as well as Tanya Park-
ins and Ruth Ann Fleischauer. Miss
Katherine Gackstetter played a
piano solo. Edward Prang gave a
recitation. A humorous skit enti-
tled "Wanted a Wife" was enac-
ted by members of the ULCW.
Rev, W. P. Fischer led every-
one in a short period of carol
singing, which included a few
"The question we must keep in
mind is whether or not we have
not again arrived at a period when
major reorganizations are neces-
sary... "'
In Ontario the first major reorg-
anization should be to clean off the
barnacles — eliminate the county
council.
i
PAGE SEVEN
numbers of German songs. Supper
followed and was served on tables
decorated for the Christmas seas-
on.
The regular monthly meeting of
the United Lutheran Church Wo-
men was held on Tuesday even-
ing, December 13, in the church.
Mrs. Harold Thiel, assisted by Mrs.
Gertrude Datars, were in charge of
the topic on Social Missions,
A filmstrip about the Colony of
Hope and Mercy in Japan was
shown and was most interesting.
The business meeting was condue-
ted by Mrs. eLonard Prang, presi-
dent.
The annual meeting which fol-
lowed was in charge of Rev. Fis-
cher. Reports were given by the
president, secretary and treasurer,
covering the year's activities, Of-
ficers for the year 3.961 were elec-
ted as follows: Mrs. Leonard Prang,
president; Miss Martha Heideman,
vice-president; Mrs. Keith Thiel,
secretary; and Mrs. Harold Thiel,
treasurer.
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