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Home My WebLink AboutClinton News Record, 2016-11-16, Page 44 News Record • Wednesday, November 16, 2016 Mk_www.clintonnewsrecord.com Clinton News Record PUBLISHED WEEKLY — EST. 1860 53 Albert St. P.O. 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Canada Al ocna Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association and the Ontario Community Newspapers Association One balanced budget won't solve debt woes The province's Financial Accountability Office cast doubt recently on the abil- ity of Premier Kathleen Wynne to balance Ontar- io's budget by 2017-2018, as she has long promised. Given new spending commitments by the gov- ernment and predictions of more modest economic growth, the accountability office projected the deficit in 2017-18 at $2.6 billion, increasing to $3.7 billion by 2020-21. It said Wynne may still be able to balance the budget in 2017-18 and sub- sequent years by increas- ing government revenues, cutting expenses and sell- ing public assets. But it warned that under current projections, the Lib- erals will increase Ontario's net debt by $64 billion over the next five years to $370 billion in 2020-21, $20 bil- lion higher than forecast just last spring. That would raise the province's debt -to -GDP ratio, a key indicator of economic health, to about 41 per cent, compared to the Liberals' goal of 27 per cent. It's not all that signifi- cant whether the Liberals balance the budget in 2017-18. — Letters to the editor Balancing the budget in anyone year isn't hard to do given the government's massive amount of revenues and assets. It can also delay planned expenditures. The problem is the huge underlying debt the Liber- als have created since tak- ing power in 2003, when they inherited a $138.8 -bil- lion debt from the previous Conservative government. If the accountability office's projections are cor- rect, the Grits will have boosted Ontario's debt by 166 per cent between 2003 and 2020. Even if Wynne balances the budget in 2017-18, tax- payers will be paying bil- lions annually simply pay- ing off interest on debt. That figure currently stands at $11.8 billion annually, which, if it was a government ministry, would be the third largest after health and education. Paying off debt interest doesn't provide new ser- vices to the public, nor does it lower taxes. It's money thrown down the black hole of Liberal gov- ernment fiscal irresponsi- bility. It doesn't even reduce the debt. What it does do is mort- gage the future for not only today's taxpayers, but for their children, grandchil- dren and great grandchil- dren, because government debt is simply deferred taxes and cuts to public services. Ontarians have long felt the effects of this in every- thing from excessive wait times for medical treatment, to poorly maintained schools, to substandard public housing, to relentless cash grabs by the Liberals, such as Wynne's looming cap -and -trade scheme. One, lonely, balanced budget in 2017-18 isn't going to change any of that. - Postmedia Network Central Huron's celebration for Canada's 150th Dear editor, Upon review of a recent Clinton News Record and Justine Alkema's article, "Lots planned for Clinton for Cana- da's 150th" therein, I noticed a decision has been rendered to commemorate this coun- try's anniversary on a date other than July 1st Ipolitely su;est this deci- sion be rescinded so celebrations take place on Canada Daynextyeac I acknowledge the forward thinldng thus far, indeed such a celebration has been along time coming, but perhaps local opinion should be sought As a collective reminder, for example, the anniversa- ries of Vimy Ridge, D -Day Landing and Liberation of Holland, take place on the date of occurrence rather than coinciding with a local festival, seemingly a week late. Pluckin Fest certainly draws crowds, entertains and helps raise money for a dili- gent, well -organized group, whose local support through- out the municipality does not go unrecognized. But I believe timely and thoughtful consideration of the past 150 years supersedes all attempts to hold Canada Day on any other than July 1st Simply put, it stands to reason Pluckin Fest will live on annually as its own, and our community will recog- nize Canada Day proper, without having to move or reschedule either. As a society of voters, the public should have the opportunity to weigh in, through online voting or mail out survey and pre- sumably an application put forth to the "Ontario 150" grant program for funding may fair better with July 1, 2017 noted. Regards, Ryan Crawford FROM THE ARCHIVES 15 years ago... • A vote on the decision to build a new soccer field in Holmesville had been deferred until more information was gathered. A meet- ing of the Planning Advisory Committee for Central Huron was held during which the rezoning of a parcel of land to allow for a new soccer field was discussed. • Six Clinton homeowners had welcomed guests into their homes for the Festive Home Tour event. The event also included a Mix and Mingle party as well as a Victorian era tea party. The tours were hosted by the Ontario Street and the Wesley -Willis United churches. • The girls' basketball teams of St. Anne's Catholic Secondary School had taken other teams in the league to the hoops and defeated them. Both the senior and junior teams at St. Anne's had moved on to the championships. 25 years ago... • The Blyth Memorial Hall had been chosen as the site for a Huron County sesquicentennial project — the re-enactment of the first Huron County meetings. • The Mid -Huron Landfill Site was impacting the Bridgewater creek, but to what degree had to be revealed by further tests. Engineering consultant Jim Yardley said, "It's not a question of whether it [was] impacting the creek, but rather impacting it environmentally or from a health perspective." • A break and enter was reported at the Clinton Horse Stables on William Street in Clinton. The thief entered the building, pried open the office door and had stolen the following — one bottle of Winstrol; three bottles of Testosterone; three bottles of Anadiol; and five bottles of Adrenal Cortex. The drugs may have been sto- len for human use, but were intended for the treatment of ani- mals. 35 years ago... • Except for the building of a new $100,000 mini -mall this fall, 1981 had gone down as one of the worst years on record for building since the depression. Not one new house was built in Clinton, and only some renovations were canted out. The year before, over $1 million in permits were issued. The lack of building was blamed on the excessively high interest rates on mortgage money, which was 22%. Thoughts, observations or concerns about this community? Thoughts, observations or concerns about this community? Share them with Clinton and the surrounding area. Email your letters to the editor to Justine at jalkema@postmedia.com. Any opinions expressed in a letter to the editor reflect those of the writer and not those of the Clinton News Record. The Clinton News Record retains the rights to edit letters to the editor. CLINTON NEWS RECORD - HOURS OF OPERATION MONDAY: 9:00-5:00 • TUESDAY: CLOSED • WEDNESDAY: 9:00-5:00 • THURSDAY: 9:00-5:00 • FRIDAY: 9:00-5:00 • SATURDAY & SUNDAY: CLOSED ADVERTISING DEADLINE: FRIDAY 2:00 P.M. ADVERTISING BOOKING DEADLINE: FRIDAY 1:30 P.M. www.clintonnewsrecord.com