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■I Sports/13 Dodgers weather Storm Wheels/lnsert Durango packs punch CLARINGTON'S AWARD-WINNING NEWSPAPER SINCE 1854 Canabian Statesman May 19,2004 • 56 Pages • Optional 3 Week Delivery $5/$l Newsstand durhamregion.com Bad news budget hits ocketbooks BY DANIELLE NIILLEY AND DAVID BLUMENFELD Staff writers DURHAM -- The provincial provincial Liberals' first budget hit Ontario taxpayers where it hurts ;-- their wallets. ; Speculation prior to yesterday's yesterday's budget predicted bad news !and Finance Minister Greg Sor- bara didn't disappoint. The budget sees the re-intro- -duction of the Ontario health ipremium, which is going to cost ^taxpayers between $300 and •$900 a year, as well as increases :in fees for such items as driver's ilicencé renewals, and tax hikes : on cigarettes, beer and liquor. I "We had to make two very 'important choices: the first to '.increase revenue and the second *,to balance the budget over a •four-year plan," Mr. Sorbara 'said in the legislature. ' The health premium, which is to start coming off pay- cheques this summer, is expected expected to generate $1.6 billion in the first year and climb to $2.6 billion billion by 2008. "Every single cent from this premium will be invested in health care," Mr. Sorbara said, i Pickering-Ajax-Uxbridge MPP, Wayne Arthurs said part of the reason the government went with the premium instead of a general income-tax increase was so the money would go directly directly to health care. "The principal reason is that this particular health, premium or tax will be shown on a separate separate line in the budget... This money will be earmarked for expenses for health care in the budget," said the Liberal MPP. "You can't improve health care without new revenue sources." Some critics, including NDP leader Howard Hampton, argue the new revenue sources are hitting hitting modest- and middle-income middle-income earners hardest. Mr. Arthurs, meanwhile, defended defended the move. "With any tax structure, those with the most amount of ONTARIO'S • SERVICE • PARTS MON., WED., FRI. 7:30 am - 6:00 pm TUES. & THURS. 7:30 am - 8 pm SAT. 9 am - 4 pm ACCREDITED TEST & REPAIR FACILITY WHITBY OSHAWA 300 THICKSON RD. S. WHITBY disposable income tend to pay less," he said. In addition to the premium, the government is going to save money by not covering services such as chiropractic sessions and eye exams. Progressive Conservative MPP Jim Flaherty (Whitby- Ajax) called yesterday's budget "the nuclear bomb of broken promises." "This budget could have been done on the back of an envelope envelope in half an hour. It's the easy way out: It's just 'increase this tax, increase that tax,'...and let the people of Ontario pay for it, and let them all be dammed about all promises (they) made last year," he said. "It depresses me more than anything else." Mr. Flaherty said whenever taxes on tobacco are increased, the issue of smuggling must be carefully watched. Insurance and gas prices for cars and homes have already gone up, "and now the government piles it on with a new tax on OHIP and all these user fees. You're talking about another $1,000 or so for most two-income families. families. It's a heavy burden," he said. Mr. Flaherty said there is also very little money in the budget for colleges and universities, universities, including the University of Ontario Institute for Technology. Technology. • "UOIT is a great worry for me. I'm not raising the alarm yet, because hope springs eternal eternal that the government will see that the engineering building must be built because the whole See BUDGET page 8 INDEX Editorial Page .4 Sports .13 Classified -9 GIVE US A CALL General 905-579-4400 Distribution 905-579-4407 General FAX 905-579-2238 Newsroom FAX 905-579-1809 durhamregion .com Gun found among accused killer's belongings v. ' . --f Puttering around Mike Pochwat/The Canadian Statesman ÇLÀRINGTON -- Brad Tinney takes careful aim while getting in a round of mini golf at the Quarry Quarry Lakes Golf & Recreation Centre with his friend Brendan Taylor. BY JEFF MITCHELL Staff writer DURHAM -- Luggage belonging belonging to murder suspect Cosmo Jacobson contained a sun, the man's stepfather told a jSuperior Court jury Monday. Selwyn Mundy said he found the pistol after retrieving pelongings from an apartment Mr. Jacobson had lived in prior to his arrest in June ' 2000, in connection with a home invasion invasion robbery. "There was a gun and a container container of bullets," Mr. Mundy said under questioning by prosecutor prosecutor Paul Murray. He told the Crown he eventually eventually gave the gun and ammunition ammunition back to Mr. Jacobson. Mr. Jacobson and co-accused co-accused Sean Hall each face a charge of First-degree murder in connection with the Feb. 4, 2001, slaying of Roy Jones, an acquaintance who was scheduled scheduled to testify in the home-invasion home-invasion trial against the men. Mr. Jones was shot four times and left for dead on a Pickering street just days before Mr. Jacobson Jacobson and Mr. Hall were to appear appear in court on charges relating to the home invasion. The Crown alleges the two killed Mr. Jones to prevent him from testifying at that hearing. They are also charged with conspiracy conspiracy to commit murder. Mr. Jacobson, also known as Avi Mundy, has pleaded guilty to five charges relating to the home invasion. At the start of See GUN page 8 Consultants call for heritage label BY SHELLEY JORDAN Staff writer CLARINGTON -- Old Bowmanville is worthy of preservation under a heritage designation, said consultants hired to study the area north of town hall. ' The area, which is bordered by Liberty, Concession and Wellington streets, was brought to the attention of council in March, 2001, when a report was submitted by the firm Totten Sims and Hubicki Associates. The report identified the area as unique, and suggested that it be preserved as part of an infrastructure infrastructure renewal program. The report also suggested some form ôf spécial designation should be considered. The Municipality decided to move forward with a background background study to determine if a heritage district designation would be appropriate. A presentation to council Monday morning by indepen dent consultants Bob Martindale of Martindale Planning Associates Associates and Richard Unterman of Unterman McPhail Associates _ supported heritage designation. "It' should have been designated designated a long time ago," said Mr. Unterman. "It's a setting that See CONSULTANT page 8 Commuters would rather drive than move 666-1772 honda www.honda1.com , With urban sprawl making inroads inroads in Durham, the population population is growing at a dizzying rate. Boomtown is a 12-part series series examining the issues we will confront now and in the near future. BY CARLY FOSTER Staff writer DURHAM -- At 6 each weekday morning, the alarm blares at Kirk and Susan McMillan's McMillan's downtown Oshawa home, setting the couple's day in motion. motion. Ms. McMillan heads downstairs downstairs to shower, while Mr. COWAN PONTIAC BUICK GMC 166 King St. E. Bowmanville 905-623-3396 Prica» ara plu» tax»», llcw, ■dmlnl»trgtlonjgv_ McMillan wakes and dresses the boys -- Davis, 3, and Griffin, five months. At 6:30 a.m„ the couple switch places and Ms. McMillan feeds the baby. At 6:55 a.m., Griffin joins the boys at the table while Ms. McMillan finishes getting ready. By 7:15 a.m., the family is folded into two cars, Mr. McMillan McMillan heads south to Hwy. 401, while Ms. McMillan heads north with the boys to Taunton Road. The life of a commuter family family begins, Durham Region is home to 832 kilometres of roads -- 2,093 See REGIONAL page 7 1 Ron Pietroniro/The Canadian Statesman Gene Chartier is manager of transportation planning and design for Durham Region. 2003 PONTIAC GRAND AM SE Under 40,000 kms, V6, auto, air, power windows, power locks, tilt, cruise, rear spoiler, AM FM CD, "DAILY RENTAL BUY backs" q onn IT/UmH0PB0M 1 OjOUO 2003 CHEVY IMPALA V6, automatic, air, power windows, power locks, tilt, cruise, AM FM CD, aluminum wheels. Dally rental. c 70c Stk.#P3206A ID, ZOO 2002 CHEV VENTURE EXT. VAN 4 DR. V6, automatic, air, power windows, power locks, tilt, cruise, quad seats, AM FM CD player. $.47 nnc Stk. #P3203A I / 2001 OLDS AURORA 4.0 SEDAN V8, leather, dual zone air, dual power seats, power roof, power windows, power locks, tilt, cruise, AM FM CD. $-| g 79Q