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Provincial grants down from 1979.... ···.Board to spend $94 million Education taxes up 12 per cent By MICHAEL KNELL Free Press Staff Town of Whitby property owners will pay an ad- ditional 12.45 per cent in realty taxes for education purposes this year. At its regular meeting last Monday, the Durham Board of Education approved across the board tax and ex- penditure ilcreases for the 1980 fiscal year. For Whitby homeowners it means an extra $43 a year for those properties with an average assessment. In presenting the budget to the board, Whitby Trustee David Sims, chairman of the budget-audit committee, said, "The 1980 budget...represents the largest percentage increase- in local mill rates in recent memory. Sims told his fellow trustees that education is the second largest .expenditure in the province (after health) and that grants from the Ministry of Education 1' Story and Photo by MICHAEL KNELL Free Press Staff Whitby Mayor Jim Gartshore and B&R Transport vice-president William Bonnetta displayed for the first time last Friday one of six transport-trailer trucks that will travel across the province advertising for business and industry to locate in the Town of Whitby. The truck seen here is just one of the six that the company hopes to have on the road by August. "What we are trying to do is promote in- dustry to come to the Town of Whitby," Bon- netta said. The trailer units have a special fiberglass siding on them that makes them easier to paint. The units cost $18,000 each with this special siding. The units were bought and paid for by B&R Transport while both the town and the company shared the costs of painting the 46 foot by 8 foot billboard on both sides. have been on the decline for the last few years forcing the board to raise more revenue from the local tax- payer, "The provincial level of support has been decreasing on a proportionate basis for the last eight years," he said. "In 1980, the proportion of provincial support has decreased by a further 1.07 per cent over 1979 to the point that provincial grants represent 53.28 per cent of the proposed 1980 expen- ditures. "This compared to a high of 62.29 per cent in 1972." The local lawyer also told the board that this trend does not appear to be changing and that there is no information as to what base level the board can continue to expect provincial support. Sims stressed that in- flation is taking its toll of the education budget and that previously deferred expen- ditures can not be put off any longer. Bonnetta, who was honored earlier this year as the Whitby Chamber of Commerce's "Businessman of the Year," said that "basically we did it for the town's anniver- sary." He/'said that the company has been in Whitby for 31 years and stressed that it has a lot of faith and investment in the town and wants to see it grow. Bonnetta also indicated that some of the vehicles would participate in the County Town Parade later this year although he ad- ded that nothing has been confirmed as yet and that it is not known how many of them will participate. The trucks will travel all over Ontario on regular company runs, Bonnetta said. "We are advertising for business to locate or relocate in the Town of Whitby." It would appear as though B&R Transport is taking a lead in promoting the growth of the Town of Whitby. It is an example that should be followed by everyone who wants the town to prosper. "We have now come to the position where we are con- fronted with absolutely non- deferable expenses," he said. "Inflation, by all of- ficial estimates, is expected to continue at the rate in ex- cess of 10 per cent." Some items such as gas and oil are going up at a greater rate than this, Sims said adding that this was taken into account in preparing the budget. The budget did not recommend that the board implement any new programs or cut back on any others. "In this budget we are not proposing any new programs," Sims said. "By the same token, we are not proposing any program cut backs." Another factor to be in- clüded in the rising cost of education is wages, salaries and benefits which make up almost 90 perý cent of the board's entire budget. Sims pointed out that the board is constantly in negotiations with either teachers federations or with unions representing support staff. "Collective bargaining does have a significant ef- fect on the budgeting process," Sims said. "Wages, salaries, benefits have historically represen- ted approximately 90 per cent of our operating budget and in 1980 will represent 89.867 per cent in the elementary panel and 89.235 per cent in the secondary panel." Sims told the board that expected increases in these areas make up the largest overall increase in the budget. "The 1980 budget estimates wages, salaries and benefits at $75,645,850, an increase of $7,412,000 over 1979," he said. "This item alone represents 79.67 per cent of the proposed in- crease in budgeting expen- ditures." Despite these increases, Sims said that the Durham Board has always had sound financial practises: "The- Durham Board of Education has shown leadership in the management of its financial affairs. "The budgetary attitude of this board has historically been one of the cautious con- servatism and is based on sound financial practises." The Durham board does not finance capital projects by debenture as is the habit of the Region of Durham and many of its member municipalities. Instead, the board finan- ces these projects from current revenues. As a result of this practise, Sims told the trustees that in 1980 they will have saved $800,000 in the repayment of debentures. The budget document states that if the board con- tinues this practise, they will have paid all of their debts by 1992. The veteran trustee ad- vised his fellows to maintain the principal of budgeting for what is needed as op- posed to what is wanted. "The Durham Board of Education has, since I have been a member, budgeted on an 'as needed' as opposed to 'as wanted' basis," he said noting that in the past the board has been able to present budgets with only a modest tax increase. "Unfortunately, this year we will be asking the tax- payers for a more substan- tial increase," he said. "I hope the public will under- stand that no greater in- crease is being requested than the trustees feel is ab- solutely essential to main- tain the existing school program." Sims claimed that in 1979 it cost the Durham board $85 million to educate 48,000 students while it cost the Carlton board $105 million to educate 41,200 students. "White these may be ex- tremes, by any standard, Durham compares very favorably with any board of comparitive size," he said. This year, the board will spend a total of $94.3 million, a $9.3 million increase over last year or 10.94 per cent. Of this, 53.28 per cent will be raised through provincial grants. This represents $50.2 million, an increase of $4.04 million or 8.75 per cent over last year. The balance of $41.3 million or 43.8 per cent will be raised from direct taxation. Sims said that the reason for Whitby's increase of 12.45 per cent was the in- troduction of the provinces new 1980 equalization fac- tors. To cushion the effect, the province granted the board an additional $1,744,000 without which Sims said "would have resulted in mili rate increases that would have been approximately five per cent higher in all municipalities except Oshawa." By approving the budget, the board will have spent $40 for every elementary student, a $9 or 6.45 per cent increase over last year. The board will aise spend $124.89 for every secondary school student, an increase of $17.89 or 16.7 per cent. Town of htb Trucks promote Whitby