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-I Orono Weekly Times, *ednesday, January 15, 1997 - 3 y1 John O'Toole's New Year's Levee Kendal, Hall News by Phyllis Lowery John 07Toole, MPP Durham East greeted constituents Sunday, January 12, at hisy New Year's Levec in Port Perry. Due to the fi-st Wednesday falling on New Year's Day, Men's Lodge was heid on Wed. Jan. 8th. The Ladies' Lodge had to postpo ne their meeting on Thurs., Jan. 9th due to the snow storm, this meeting wili be heid on Thurs., Jan. i 6th, weather permitting. The lirst Bingo of 1997 was held on Fi-i. Jan. 3rd and the first Card Party on Fi-i. Jan. 1,,Oth. There were 5 1/2 tables in play. Dean Polley won lst with a score of 84 and Theresa Langstaff won 2nd with 83. Lavina Downes won the 50/50 draw and David Thrower won free admission to the next Card Party on Fr1. Jan. 24th. Bingo on Fi-i. Jan. 17th come out for an evening of fun, the Jackpot hasn't been won yet. The Junior Lodge will be meeting this week. They wiil be busy getting ready to go and heip instaîl a new Lodge and aiso once again the Jr. Lodge wiii be doing Degree Work at Pi-ov. Grand Lodge in April. Thei Ladies of Kendal are also busy practlcing for Gi-. Lodge along with Tyrone Ladies we will be hosting Grand Lodge. As there ai-e no facilities in this area that can accommodate the number of people that will be attending we have received per- mission to hold Grand Lodge in Oshawa. What a shame that Clarington does not have at least one Hotel with enough meetin~g rooms and sleeping accommodations. S5tayîang In. Touch John O'Toole Durham East MPP Tiiank you, to the aimost 200 residents of Durham who took the time on Sunday, January i 2th to visit us ln Port Perry at oui- annîial ievee. Many citizens were there to bring wlshes for 1997, many had suggestions, some had ques- tions and some brought words of encouragement. It is aiways my pleasure to meet the people I reprýesent at Queen's Park. I would like to hold more of these casual "get together" occasions. These situations help to brlng Queen's Park and the news dloser to the people. I want to thank the Durham East PC Riding Association for organiz- ing a very successful event and for aill the local newspapei-s for advertising the event. As you ai-e reading this col- umn, some of oui- legisiative changes may have already been announced. Many reporters are referring to 'this week as 'Megaweek'. Yes, there are many changes, but aithough this makes the news, it does not necessarily mean it is bad and consider carefully. the proposed changes. Less governiment. iess duplication and waste and more accountability are what each one of us want. Your govern- ment is settlng a course and a vision for the future. 1 am sure you wlll agree that we can no longer tax and spend oui- way out of oui- problems. As your, elected representative. I am committed to doing more with less. Many individuals, families, smali businesses and even some politicians are starting to realize that we must eliminate ail duplication and focus oui- scarce resources. We must ensure oui- students, the hos- pital patient, the person with a disability, the child in poverty and the vuinerable get the assistance they need. We have ail been somewhat spolled and it is time to fix the problem fair- ly. For the past 10 to 15 yeai-s, ail govemrments and political parties have had commissions, studies and reports but no reai action. Your conservative gov- ernment is making these changes before the end of this century and the year 2000. The real days of action are here and we must all work together to make our collective futures bet- ter. Briefly, the major changes will be in the govemnance of cdu- cation and the funding of edu- cation. This decision wili require other changes in munic ipal giants. Your typical munic- ipal tax bill is approximateiy $2,400.00 per year. At present, about 60% of this, or somne $1,400.00 goes toward edpca- tiqon. The balance or 40% ($>,000.00) is roughly/splil bétween the local and regional goveinment. Now, the province will fund education cornpietely. This change will mean your municipal taxes wili now pay for other services. Who pays for what is the new focus. The David Cmombie. Who Does What Panel, has suggested that we disentangle the oid complex shared funding formula. When you think about it, 1 would spend your money a littie less carefully than my owiý money. Today, the region, local and provincial governments share the funding of daycare, homes for the aged, social services, roads and a whole series of ser- vices. We are proposing that the funding of services be soited out. This fundamental change wiIl be foilowed by a new assessment system. For years we have had the debate on mai-- ket value based assessment. The two previous govemments examined the assessment sys- tem and decided it was too con- troversial. We ail know that older ai-eas that share oui- com- mon services may pay lowei- taxes due to their assessment not being current. A new value based assessment will ensure that a house of 1,600 square feet has a common assessed value despite its age or where it is located. The taxes paid wîll vary between municipalities depending on the municipal budget and the mili rate applied. In short, thei-e will be adjustmnents in taxes over the next few years. Some will coin plain if their taxes go up but 1 doubt if you will hear anything if taxes go down. The point is, that if your municipal budget doesn't change, the effect of a new assessment system will not resuit in more tax revenue. For eveiy tax bill that goes up, there will be a similar decrease in somneone else's tax bill. It does mean that once and for ail, there will be a fair method of determining the sharing of the cost of municipal services. 1 would ask you to think about this car efully. Every service that we as citizens share in common in oui- community are of equal value bo each of us. For exam- pie, a person using a library or an ai-ena. Using this facility is a privilege shared in common. Ask yoursellf the question, should a person living of a farmn, in an apartmenl, in a duplex or in a single family house pay the sanie or moi-e for the use of that service? The water service, garbage pickup, parks. police, fi-e and other municipal ser- vices are paid for based on propei-ty value even lhough the service level available is coin- mon to ail. This ineans that somne people pay mocre for the use of the libi-aiy than others, based 1 guess, on their ability to pay. 1 want you to think of retired people living on a fixed income. We simiply cannot continue to i-aise taxes. Recycle Services and Repairs To Ail MakeS 0f Vehicles Used Auto P artS 1 Complete Auto Body Service i Used and New Tires Service Cals Annual funding for long -term care The Ontario government wili reinvest $14,000 to improve and expand comînunity-based long-term care services in Hospice Durham of Oshawa and $3 10.000 to attendant out- reach services in Durham Region Attendant Care Inc., Durham MPP's Julia Muni-o (Durham-York), Jerry Ouellette (Oshawa),- Jim Flaherty (Durham Centre), Minister Janet Ecker (Durham West) and John R. OToole (Durham East), announced today on behalf of I-ealth, Minister Dave Johnson. "Reinvesting in these ser- vices is a key compontent of oui- plan to, restructure health care in Ontario," Health Minister Dave Johnson said. 'As we implement fundamentai hospi- tai resti-ucturing, this funding wili provide new or expanded services to avoid any possible gaps at the community levei". The proposai will provide caregiver support by enhancing volunteer visitiîîg hospice ser- vices and bereavement coun- seling to, 200 people with ter- minai ilinesses and their familles in the Durham Reglon. -The funding is part of the govrnmntsplan to reinvest $170 million in community- based iong-term care services" said the Durham MPP's. -This funding confirms oui- govern- ment's commitment to expand comrnunity based care, aiiowing more people of Durham Region the comfort and security of beîng dloser to famiiy and friends". Palliative care involves per- sonal support to control or eliminate pain, provide physi- cal and emotional comfort, and maintain dignity for individuals andi families deaiing with ter- minai iliness. SHOP AROUND, GET YOUR T YOU R BEST PR17CE THEN CALL US FOR YOUR BETTER PRICE We give you the maximum $$$ for your Trade-In. 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