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PAGE 6, WHITY1 EE PRESS, WEDNESD)AY, MAT 24,1989 VOICE OF THE COUNTY TOWN The only Whîtby newspaper independent Whitby residents for Whitby resîdents. Published every Wednesday By 677209 Ontarioa mc. Phone: 668-6111 668-6112 668-6369 à j Doug Anderson Pubisher 131 Brock Street North, ly oned nd oeratd byP.O. Box 206, Whitby, Ont. (y wne an opratd b LN 5S1 2nd Maurice Pifher Editor Peter Irvine Advertising Manager AtexandraSimion Production Manager i Class Postai Registration #05351 Support the campaign F he largest fundraising venture ever ta be carried out in Whitby will begin in the f ail and deserves the support of ail residents. 1989 is the 2th anniversary of Whitby General Hospital (formerly Dr. Joseph 0. Ruddy Hospital: the name change was made to more readily identify the hospital with Whitby) and population growth has autdistanced hospital growth. The $12.6-mitlion prajeot includes construction of a new wing, the addition or upgrading of equipmnent and technology and more haspital services. One such service planned is a four-bed birthing centre. lt's not exactly the obstetrics unit that the hospital was suppased ta get when built (a 1-bed unit, but dropped by the Ministry of Health due ta high costs and an available obstetrios service at other area hospitals), but it's a start, and could be a vivid reminder ta the ministry that this community wants its own obstetrios unit for its own citizens. The new wing wilI be occupied by the chronic care beds previously appraved by the ministry as weIl as those already an the second floor of the hospital. That will free the second floor for the addition of more services and, hopefully with approval of the ministry, more acute care <(short term) beds sa dlesired by the hospital's board Of governors. With more acute care and chronlo caýe beds, physicians can refer patients ta Whitby 'hospital rather than ta other area haspitals, and Whitby's hospital will 'be an institution that more adequately serves the needs of the community. The fundraising goal is $5.5-million. Plans are stili being made, yet donations have already begun, and that's a healthy signal that the campaign will be a successful one. It was the'Bad Tuiig Decision of 1989 To the editor The decision by regional coicil ta, send three politicians an~d two staff members ta look at guçbage in Europe surely must e ualify for the 'Bad Timing ~son' award for 1989. With recent tax increases ta, residents of Durham Region of 19 pEar cent plus a hefty education talc increase, plus the recent municipal increase, add ta that the horriflc federal tax bite, as well ag the provincial tax grab, yes, bad timing indeed for a European junket for sure. The Whitby politician who practically cried to be sent on this non-descipt holiday, dlaims the cost amnounts to only nickels and dîmes (somewhat of a sophomoric observation). Fine, this being the case, then this trip would be a bargain for him to pay bis own expenses out of bis one-third tax free allowance. This is the saine politician Who, by getting elected ta regional council, tripled bis part-time income; witbin days of the election, voted himself a 29 per cent raise in pay as a Whitbv councillor and then voted himself' another 5 per cent increase at the regional level, and will now erjoy a European "freebee." Even if this politician could comprehend the technological aspects of the wet/dry process, bis presence at such a conference is of no value ta the taxpayer as their decisions are primarily based on the recommendations Of staff. Qualified staff menibers and engineers from other jurisdictions Deflicit dialogue now fashiionable To the editor: Readers may still. remember the October 1988 federal election ta, some degree. That was the election where the tbree large political arties outbid eaeh other (about ý35-billion of elections promises beyond the exitng annual deficit), and in which they were unusually sulent, in both officiai languages, about the debt burden and about government flnancing generally. I, the Libertarian candidate, on the other hand, talked a great deal about the importance of deficit reduction, as well as the mnoral repugnance of forever passing on the debt ta, future generations especially ta those "unborn" who aren't - even well defined under exi sting law. At the time, voters, while seemingly concemned about annual deficits and accumulated debt, could not flnd it in their hearts to vote in large nunibers for the Iàbertarian candidate, and instead enthusiastically cast their votes for the three promisors, the Conservative, Liberal and NDP candidates. This, in spite of my warning that assuming ail of thosel promises ($30-billion +) were broken, if not even a single PC, Liberal or NDP promise was kept, the 1989 annual overrun would still be about $30-billion! The Conservatives, Liberals and NDP were handsomely rewarded for their wanton promises -- not many votes to be had in talking deficit reduction in Durham, ta be sure. Now that the election is over, it appears to be fashionable to talk about deficit reduction, and the federal goverrîment of the day is doingjust that. As a final footnote to election '88, readers may find the statisties about election* expenses of the Durham constituency candidates of sorne interest. In the Durham constituency alone, a total of $66,929.35 in tax funded reimbursements was awarded ta the three larger parties, for their contribution ta the promising process. On the other hand, it is clear that a vote for one of the three smaller parties, at least would have been more economically sound from a deficit reduction perspective. RLH. Posma RR.L 1, Oshawa have seen the European wet/ldry technology and claim it to be of littl- use. on thir, cnntinent but are studying it .... that information would be available to Durham without going ta Europe. Recently, a group of four residents from Garden St. in Whitby, requested some assistance in having Town water connected to their homes. The request was. due ta the alleged interference ta, their weils by adjacent devlopers. Their water is polluted and sometimes non-existent. This group was headed by a very eloquent and courageous Margaret McKniight. Her group was refused any assistance by Whitby council or the region. It probably would have been a wiser decision ta, see ta it that Mrs. McKnight could have clean, safe drinking water, rather than send some tin-horn politicians on a spring vacation overseas. In the case of Mrs. McKnight, assuming ber share of regional tax ta be typical, it would amount ta, approimately $336.59 plus the recent increase of $57 giving a total of $393.59. It will take 12.69 years of Mrs. McKnights regional tax to send this Wbitby regional councillor on bie European toot. To Mirs. McKnight, this is flot nickels and dimes. .As taxpayers, the time bas surely corne ta speak out ta, these irresponsible, incompetent self.serving politicians and tel them that we resent this continued abuse of public trust and misuse of taxpayers' dollars for self-gratification. Taxpayers are not obligated ta fulfll the dreams and satisly the ego of politcians with over-inflated opinions of themselves and their importance. Cet nmade folks! Silence is consent..it will cost you plenty ta stay quiet. James Priest Whitby laa. i sLA.tm "The hoof tax didn'tgo up" w wmm LETTERS The Whitby Free Press welcomes letters to the Editor on any subject of concern to our readers. Letters should be brief and to the point - rarely more than 300 words. Ail letters must be accompanued by the name, address and phone nuinher of the writer; however,. on request, your.name may be withheld from publication if we agree that there is a valid reason. The paper reserves the right to rejeet or edit ail letters. Send to: The Editor, Whitby Free Press, Box 206, Whitby, Ontario LMN 5S1 or drop through our mailsiot at 131 Brock St. N. -rlj?£ TAx