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Page 10, Whitby Free Proas, Weinesdmy, November2,1994 Health centres budget cuts postponed By Mike Kowalski Postponement of some budget cuts et Whitby Mental Health Centre is being interpretod in diffrent ways by two of the key players. Durhamn Centre MPP Drum- mond White bas hailod last week's announcement that further budget cuts at Ontario's 10 psychiatric hospitals have been put on hold. White beliovos that Health Minister Ruth Grier has «gene a long way» bo addressing local concerne. But Joan Gates, union leader of the health oentre employees, disagrees. Gatos, prosidont of Ontario Public Service Employeos Union Local 311, stresses that health centre administrators must stl do some budget chopping, even though the amount wil1lýbe less than origi nally feared. Services and jobs could be still be lost as a result of the anticipa- ted $2.5-million cut locally, Gates warns. The govornmont will not order more cuts until it pumps anothor $20 million int community- basod mental health services, Grier announced. Additional cuts will 'be pot- poned until Queen's Parek is satisfiod community services for the mentally iii are in place, Grier said. Whitby Mental Health Centre, formerly Whitby Psychiatric Hos- pital, had been asked to slash $4.7 million from its budget over the next two years. Union and administration offi- ciais at the hospital expected that up te 100 -beds weuld be taken out of service and between 100Otol120 employees laid off. "Ruth Grier h as asked the psychiatric hospitals te maintain essential services," White stated in a press release. «By spreading out the budget cuts over a longer periodI eel she bas gone a long way te relieve our concern here in Whîtby,» said White. «Unlike previous governments the ministry of health is putting ini new community mental health services before trimming institu- tional services» he said. ,Phis will 'help people with mental ilîness live successfully in the community.». Gates1 however, is not welcom- ing' Grxers announcement as enthusiastically as WVhite. She points out in hier. own press resese that health centre administrator Ron Ballantyne stated last Friday that the budget would be cut by $2.5 million. «We think it would ho impos- sible bo do this without cutting services," said Gates. Ballantyne was net available for immediate comment Tuesday. "Certainly the minister's remarks are encouraging," said Gates. "But we are not sure how a promise of no cuts bo services fits with an expectation.to reduce the hospital's budget by $2.5 million. .tLOur question is simple, how?» LNEVERAQAINIj EAST WARD WVhat the candidae say PROM PAGE 1 ropresentative.) Fox notod that council made its officiai position on the health council study public in June and during the summer released a detailed report on how acuýe care services can be preserved.' In addition, the health council was persuaded bo extend the deadhnfe for submittinç es- penses to the consultant s pro- posais, Fox. said. "But it- is a provincial issue, I don't know wbat more we as, a council could have done,» hie said. S"I think there's more politics than medicine involved in the (Prout's) comments.» When people ask him about the hospital, Fox said they accept his 'explanation that we'ro (council) lobbying the province and are fully supportive of the community's desires.» On other issues, east ward residents are demanding tax re- straint», sometbing which Fox plans on continuing, hie said. "But a lot of it still cornes down te, public works issues, like traffic lights at Thickson and Dryden, and more localized con- corns.n As council's finance chair the p ast three years, Fox brought forward budgets containing a zero tax increase in 1993 and a 1.2 per cent decrease in 1994. Ie attributes this bo the "fiscal responsibility" shown by the cur- rent council and its prodecessor and denies a suggestion that council was only postponing an inevitable tax hi ke. «Vie had reserve funds put away,» Fox explained. "Admittedly those reserve funds are now iow, but hopefully witb the turnaround in the ecenomy, those reserve funds can ho enhanced.» ho said. «As far as the future gees, I can't predict that. But I hope we can maintain it and see ne rea- son why we can't.» CANDIDATES' DEBATES ON CABLE 10 THURDAY, NOV. 3, 2 P.M. (Whitby trustees' formtaped OcL .26) 8ATURDAY, NOV. r4,5 P.M. A"D w ENDAY, NOV. 9, 9 kM. (Whitby warda, hydro, trustees, taped Nov. 2) MONDAY, NOV.?7, 8MP.M. AND FEIAY, NOV. 11, 7 P.M. (Whitby rnayoal, rqional, taped Nov. 3) DENNIS FOX The now council will have te address the need for an addi- tional ico facility and new iibr- aryr, Fox said. 0Of course financinig is always a question, but I tbink we have a goed tmack record of finding money when it's net always availabie.» With 31,446 residents, the east wamd is Whitby'slamgest in popu- lation. It -more than the others pro- babfy illustratos most clearlfy the effects of a growing community demanding more services and becoming impatient when ser- vices aen't delivered fast onough. Unfortunately, that's the way it has tob ho,» said Fox. "It's net te ho irrespensive, but wo have te make sure the popu- lation is thome." Using an ice surface' as an example, Fox claimed it would ho airrespensible» te, build a $3- te $4million aena for the oughly 100 children on this year's mniner hockey waiting list. «Wo can't pi an for bodies that aren't there y et, we have te wait until the bodies are theme. That's the responsiblethingb do.» Afor persoa objectives should ho ho re-olected, Foex will continue pushing ormoasures te hoautify and onhanco the Thick- son Road-Dundas Street area and a public safety program. The latter weuld involve net only rnaking local streets safer for moborists and pedestrians, but the «Wbele area of crime prevention,» lho said. "I tbink we've melied tee lonif on the provincial and federai levols b ook aftem this. I think it's time local governrnent hogan bo make its feelings known." Accrding te Prout, east ward voters are concemned about deve- lopment and «wbether we bave the infrastructure dollars in place bo support growth.» Services such as police, fime, ecreation, hospitasý,libraries and «whether schools are in place bo take the incredible onslaugbt of studonts,» she said. "If you'me going to build. new homes, you have an obligation to build something to go along with the new homes. U&Sme monoy has to ho direc- ted to these services, but it is important that we don't borrow into future reserves to make sure the services are in place." From bher door-kno2king, Prout said the "definite message cern- ing out is that our taxes are too hig h for what we get." Seniors, especially those who still own homes, are especially worriod, Prout said. "Thero's been somo interest expmossed on deferred taxation," she said. "They'me not looking to escape from it, but maybe have it delayod. At fivo per cent interest, for example, the taxes could ho collected at the time of the sale. of the home.» A better effort must ho made at attracting industrial and com- mercial development bo "reduce DEREK GLASS the burden on homeowners» and bo croate jobs, Prout said. «I don't think we can peint te housing* developmonts as job creation in Whitby. These aren't Whitby tradespeople, most are from west end Toronto." In the same vein, Prout said council should examine its whole apjroach te development. "I know the new (oFficiai) jplan is in place, but I tbink we have bo take a close look at wbether Whitby wants te grow or grow te tbe figures boing quoted.» Whitby's population is expec- ted bo reach 163,000 by the year 2021. "I understand the provincial government bas some say, but I JOANNE PROUT feel people don't have enougb say or autonomy in their own cein- munit4',» said Prout. "Vie me hoing dictated te by people w ho don t livo bore.» Demek Glass is making bis second attempt at public offlice. In 1991 hoe ran unsuccessfully for rogional council. Lke many others today, the 40-yeam-old Wyndfield Crescent resident must hold down two jobs bo mako ends meots. Ho is an armeured car driver for Brink's Canada and area sales managor for a golf equip- ment manu -acturer. Glass holieves there is "net enough communication hotween council and the people who put them in their seats, and points bo tho bospital and Lynde Shores bousin g dvelopmont issues as examples. «Thero's se much opposition te Whîtby hospital and Lynde Shores and they'me trying bo rami them througb. It's a joke,» hoi said. Glass contends this is symbelic of the public's cynical attitude about politicians at aIl levels. "In party polities yeu bave te tew the party lino and in munici- pal politics they seem b huddle amongst themselves. They den't came what the general public says." On issues such as the bospital and Lynde Shores, Glass will hold meetingsa with his consti- tuents te determine thoir feel- "If the majority f people are against it, that's tho wa1 Ill voe regardless ef how I feel, ho said. "That's the wvay politics should ho. Theme's tee much decided -behind closed deors. Why ail the secrecy? "What gees on that tbey féel we don't have the rigbt tb knew?' Glass supports the building of at loast two more ice pads in Whitby. «There's ne way any boy shouldn't be allowed bo play hockey,» he said. «W're allowing bousin g deve- lopmont after housing develop- mont tbeh bujît and not keoping up with the demand.» Funding for these projects can corne from the private sectoror a combination of public and pri- vato financing, Gassaid. Dory Smnith, 47, is vice-pre- sident and business reprosenta- tivo for Local 27 of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of Arnerica. - :- .A Whitby treËidérnt for thëýaPàt four years, the. Lac ey- D ive homeowner proviously ran for school board trustee in North York. Smith stresses that hie is not' "running against anyone". but-, te romote his own ideas for a btter community. «I bolieve in a town that cares about jobs, health care issues, protecting the environînent and safe neighbourhoods,»he said. "Abovo ail, I bolieve in the youth of Whitby, they are our greatest commodity." Smith supports utacontives» that will attract new business to Whitby bo croate jobs and «at the samo time oase the tax burden on homeowners." DORY SMITH Vihile ciaiming b "bjelieve in' development 00 per cent," Smnith makes an exception for the Lynde Shores pmoject. "There's a lot of land in Whitby that needs te ho developed.1 don't bolieve we need bo disturb the marsh,"bhe said. «I want te beave a legacy bo our children. I don't want b blave a iegacy of concrote.» 1'he east ward is hounded by Taunten Road in the north, Gar- don and Blair streets on the west, Lake Ontario in the south and the Whitby-Oshawa bound- ayn the east. 1nC1991, Fox collected 3,299 votes bo challenger Geoit Rison's 2,122.