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Times-Advocate, 1996-04-10, Page 4Page 4 Times -Advocate, April 10, 1996 Publisher & Editor: Jim Beckett Business Manager. Don Sm`1t► ►M Production Manager: Deb Lord Advertising; Bart Consitt, Chad Eedy News; Heather Mir, Chris Skalkos, Ross Haugh, Brenda Burke Production: Alma Ballantyne, Mary McMurray, Barb Robertson Brenda Hem, Joyce Weber, Laurel Miner Transportation: Al Flynn, Al Hodgert Front Oft ice & Accounting; Elaine Pinder, Sue Hollings, Ruthanne Negrijn, Anita McDonald, Cassie Dalrymple 1 te+ 1 ws The Exeter Times Advocate is a member of a famity of community newspapers providing news, advertising and information leadership pinion4: Start cuts at the top s both Huron and Bruce Counties, and local towns can attest: this isn't the time to continue to pass budgets that increase the demand on ratepayers. After gruelling sessions, these coun- cils have delivered responsible budgets that hold the line - in light of significant provincial transfer payment reductions. Zero per cent is a reality, not a luxury. In Huron, it was first expected that the school board would deliver a budget with an 11 per cent increase. News last week estimated an increase of 6.8 per cent. Yet, director of education Paul Carroll had to disclose his salary under new provincial laws: $107,740 not including expenses or benefits. Carroll claims that in order for the board.to see a fur- ther reduction in the tax increase, they must reduce the 100 per cent funding to the Tech 21 education program. Seems to us that no one at the board likes to ' look in a mirror. On April 11, the board of education in Huron will take perhaps the biggest risk of its history when it takes its budget before the public in a special meeting in Clinton. ' In preparation for this session, the public should bwaware oft*Io things, Wppll'ngham Adva{tce-Z'imes .15`31 `J��15 i� �1a',.�t t !_ ,,1r.Y r .fin !f �•.h 3 tylc. .l'�iiri 'ih-th,:1,. P. 1 the budget is not the fault of the school board, it is the fault of the province; and, they will not reduce administration (staffing or salaries) to realize greater savings. By the way, in administration, we're not talking about the front office staff who earn an eighth of what the di- rector is earning. We are saying start the cuts at the very top - Carroll's salary and perks. Bruce -Grey Separate School Board Business Superintendent Paul Serre said if every board spent at their level, there would be no financial crisis in educa- tion: does that mean that every board who does spend like Bruce -Grey is enti- tled to a 2.1 per cent hike in taxes. No, what it means that if Bruce -Grey consid- ers itself to be a fiscal leader, they should have gone that extra mile and found a 2.1, per cent saving and ap- proved a zero Per cent budget: School boards, it seems, like to pass the buck down further. They blame the government for their financial picture and tell taxpayers "It's them, not us." The boards then turn around and present huge budgets each and every year with yet another hike in taxation and out of whack salaries. Take responsibility. our Letters to the editor Hawks to finish "...we ask you to bear with us as we strive to return the Junior Development crown to Exeter." Dear Exeter Hawk fans: The Exeter Hawks apologize to air t siii'for any inconvenience caused by the need to move our All - Ontario final series to the Lucan arena. The OHA requires the final series to be completed by April 21, 1996. When we were asked to make a final decision on covering the ice on March 24 we were unable to commit since we anticipated that the Thamesford series would go the full seven games and that the fi- nal series, if we were victorious, would not start un- til Tuesday, April 9 at the earliest. Since the Rec Centre would require the boards to be put in place on Wednesday, April 10 and re- moved on Monday, April 15, we would not have ae- season in Lucan cess to the ice in Exeter until Tuesday, April 16 at the earliest. If we were unsuccessful in winning the coin toss, this would have been our first home game of the series and no guarantees could,be given as to the condition of the ice. This would have meant that at least two games would have been played in Lucan and, in fact, if it'. happened to be a short series the cost and manpower to cover the ice would have been wasted. With the time restraints imposed by the league, the costs and the desire by the coaching staff to avoid as much disruption to our players as possible, the decision was made to finish the season in Lucan. We appreciate the tremendous support that our lo- cal fans have given us this year and we ask you to bear with us as we strive to return the Junior Devel- opment crown to Exeter. We hope that we can count on your enthusiastic support in Lucan. Sincerely, Exeter Junior Hawks Tom McCann, President TORONTO -- Hordes of enterprising re- porters year after year relentlessly pursue the Ontario government right up to its front doors -- and then slip cosily inside. They take jobs in ?overnment because fewer are available in newspapers, radio and TV and editors can be demanding and (dare one say it?) sometimes overbearing. A few more positively are even attracted to a career in public relations or some other branch iaf the public service. But mostly they go because the pay is bet- ter. Reporters on large dailies, typically earning $50,000 a year, have gone into government for immediate 20 per cent and more pay increases, plus nights and week- ends off and greater security, and few could blame them. Most vanish from the public eye, but Pre- mier Mike Harris and his Progressive Con- servative government hivte.ppweiled a list of employees in government and its institu- tions who are paid $100,000 or more a year which shows that the provincially -owned TV network hands a former reporter $132,500 a year for doing interviews. The reporter showed only average ability in his earlier job, being more enthusiastic than most but not noted for perceptive questioning. The argument being made to defend his high salary is that some other networks pay some interviewers as much, particularly because another publicly - funded body, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, traditionally has tossed around money. But certainly the public could hire able reporters for less. Several other former reporters also are raking in more than $100,000 from the pub- lic and they were competent reporters. But to collect such salaries in journalism they would have to run major newspapers, which never seemed inprospect for them, and this suggests that big salaries are easier to obtain in public employ. Publications Mee Registrauon Number 0380 SUBSCRIPTION RATES CANADA Within 40 miles (68 km.) addressed to non letter canter addresses $33.00 plus $2.31 A.S.T. Outside 40 miles (65 km.) or any letter canter addwes $33.00 plus 690.00 (total 83.00) + 4.31 G.S.T. Outside Canada *9.00 plus $8.93 AST (Includes $88.40 postage) Published Each Wednesday Mendnaet 4141111* AIL Exeter, Ontario, NOM 3s4 by J W. Ltd. TeMsMone i-5±9.2351331 • i:11rt: Q.S.T. Brenda Burke Snow and Daylight Savings 1, Grown out of my morning person days, I drift through layers of steep, My brain waves I strong with the impulse to beat to irregular rhythms and unspoken whisperings. The alarm shrieks its warning and I roll over wondering what time it is. It's still dark. It can't be time to get up yet. Although the bright, digital numbers flash a reasonable rising time, the darkness of the room swallows me in stolen comfort. Time for rest. Time for dark dreams. Again the alarm sounds, this time with the impatience of a mother in a mall with five toddlers. Okay, it really is time to get up and at 'em, bushy -eyed and bright -tailed. I stumble to the shower and tell the dog to get out while I disrobe and rub sleep from my eyes. Under the spraying water I ache like a 150 -year-old and make an effort to maneuver the soap, taking eternities to wash the shampoo down the drain. It's too early. A glance out the window ' while munching breakfast reveals the sun is rising. Finally. Then I remember it's Easter.'A visit to them, -laws th6 otit-laws' and everyone else in between` with kids yelling into hollow chocolate eggs. What's this? A light dusting of snow on the ground? Again? On April 7, the day of pastel colors, flowered dresses and fluffy bunnies? The day of religious and spring awakening? I pull out some corduroys in the color of Easter egg pink and top it with something pink and flowered and feminine. I can tolerate such colors only on days that scream for them. On my way to the dryer in the basement in search of warm black socks I slip on the second step from the top and skid to the bottom, bruised and bewildered. Of course, this would only happen on a Daylight Savings day. Isn't Daylight Savings Tirpe to blame for an increased rate of car and stair accidents? When I arrive late at my mother's house that afternoon I explain, "We would have been on time but somebody turned the clocks ahead." "Who are we saving the daylight for?" �a,skgnieope, else during I y)Ea r {ougc F; "It means when you get off work there's more daylight to enjoy for other activities before bedtime," is the reply. "But what about people that don't work 9 to 5?" I ponder. "They don't matter. They're the minority." As part of that minority, I have a love -hate relationship with early dark momings and outdoor evenings that stretch to 10 p.m, luring me to stay up for hours past that as the real leisure evening sets in. Fall is my favorite season because when everything else is moving ahead to winter, 'they' decide to turn the clocks back. Spring ahead, fall back. Whatever happened to leaving time alone? I once knew someone who refused to change their clocks, regardless of glib reminders, "It's time to change the time!" Too bad Daylight Savings Time crept into effect at 2.a.m. when everyone was dreaming of a green Easter. Government jobs for reporters The TV interviewer's booty will seem ex- cessive to many, who also will wonder why hospitals often pay around $200,000 to doctors, and universities more than $140,000 to professors, who have such light workloads that they are able to earn still more moonlighting. The public also will be curious why the police chief running a huge force in Metro- poliian Toronto can manage on $120,000, while the chief in London with its smaller population is paid 3140,000 and the Sudbu- ry chief $164,000. Harris and his government have been re- markably coy, however, about what they hope to achieve by making the salaries pub- lic. In the Common Sense Revolution, their platform for the election they won last year, the Tories promised to give taxpayers more information about the costs of government. Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Er- nie Eves is now saying little more than that the disclosures will "improve openness and accountability" in the public sector. They also will give a much better picture of how the various public sector institutions compare to each other in what they pay, he said, and (besides, taxpayers are entitled to know. Harris's Tories were determined to make the salaries public; 'Tories under pre- mier William Davis made a similar promise in 1982, but backed off after teachers and professors, more influential than they are today, complained this would invade priva- cy. The Tories also have made the salaries public at a time when they are committed to making huge cuts in public sector costs. Harris would feel uneasy dumping low -paid, front-line hospital workers while, for example, out hospital in Toronto pays an executive 3250,000 a year merely to raise funds. The ,premier clearly hopes the public will rebel Jig Oast some of these high salaries and help Beat therm' down.