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Region will aim for 10% tax increase Durham regional council voted last week to restrict the 1987 regional tax increase over to last year, 10 per cent or less despite arguments by some eouncillors that the increase should be fnine per cent. Finance committee chairman Jim Witty said cuts that have been made in previous regional budgets "have caught up to us. " As a resuit, he told councillors, "we are being hit very severely by increased demands put upon us." He'said deveopmntbas led to an increase in services to be provided, and their costs. Oshawa councillor John Aker urged- support for a mine per cent increase saying he could not support a "double-dgit increase." .;Iis motion for that ,increase was defeated by a vote of 15-9. :A preliminary budget !report by finance commissioner Jack Gartley indicates a tax levy increase of 16.8 per cent. (levy increase of 22.8 "per cent minus, estimated assessment growth of 5.9 per çent). To reduce that to 10 per cent, said Gartley, would mean cutting *about $2.5 million from current spending estimates. To meet a 10 per cent levy increase, a finance and management committee report suggests a reduction of $375,000 in the general government budget, $200,000 in works, $300,000 in lhealth and social services, $1.4 million in the police budget, $15,000 in Childrn's Aid and $190,000 in special levies. Gartley, however, urged that if further revisionis could be found in some departments, the $190,000 be restored to special levies. The Region bas already committed $4.9 million in 1987 special levies, including $1.9 >million for. additional roads work, $1.3 million for solid waste operations, $913,000 for debt charges, $459,000 for the Pickering police station and $360,000 for renovations to Fairview Lodge home for the aged. *Another $1.6 million has been proposed for the special levy fund, for* a 911 emergency telephone system, regional headquarters building, working capital and landfill site reserve fund. Gartley warned against a further reduction in the landfill site reserve, noting that the" Region needs "ta safety net in case Metro doesn't get a, site." He said it could cosi the Region $20 to $30 million for its own site in five years. Newcastle, Mayor John Winters said the Region could maintain rather than reduce its outstanding debt in order to cut costs. Gartley said it May be correct. that today's taxpayèrs are "1paying the burden of the debt" but to keep debentures the same "1could be the worst program we could get into. " Witty said the Region should continue its "no- debenture policy" SO that little debt will remain by 1991. Wfltby councillor Tomn Edwards said a 10 per cent levy increase "1makes sense" because a lower increase might later hurt the Region. He recalled when he and other coundillors in Whitby "beat our breasts" ' <after approving a zero increase in the Whitby budget three years ago, but later 1"paid for it. " WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4,1987, PAGE 7 Litte Teatre wil -present Wildeplaày JANE EDMONDSON as and Dan Wyse as Jack. Gwendolen The, Whitby Little Theatre's production of -"The Importance of Being Earnest", in February will mark the 92nd birthday of Oscar Wilde's imost popular play. Performances wil be at 8 p.m., Feb. 12, 13, 14, 19, 20 and 21. A free performance for senior- citizens will be held Wednesday, Feb. il. The Feb. 13 performance Will be Judged by the drama adjudicator for the Association 'Of Community Theatres, for the May festival competition. Mary Ellen Soltys will direct the Whitby Lit tile Theatre production. A University of Windsor dramna graduate, Soltys has been a- Whitby theatre member since 1970. The Wilde play is her first major production. The play is a drawing room comedy of the manners and morals of society *at ,the end, Of Queen 'Vitoria's ,reign.. Wilde subitled-the play, "«A Trivial Comedy for Seric>us People." t Plot actionhiges on games of decption played by, "young ýmen about, town" and, on a Jane Edmonson W~ both costume designer and actress in the play. She will portray Gwendolen. Gerry Brooks wil play Lane, a young manservant, and ils the aged but1erMerryman. SThe play wil be performed at the Centennial Building theatre, 416 Centre St. S.-, Whitby. 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