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durhamrcgion.com THE CANADIAN STATESMAN ♦ March 29,2006 <> Page 5 Farmers to ask Province for help ^ant a decrease iri education portion c|f property tax eijENNIFER STONE Spff Writer ' id CLARINGTON -• Local farmers will aak the Province for a break on the education education portion of their property tax bill, to h$p alleviate financial pressures they're frying. Long troubled by low commodity prices, cdmpetition from subsidized agricultural imports, loss of markets caused by mad cow, and other issues, the farming community community had asked Clarington to defer 2006 property taxes on farm properties till after ki, fanners had been hoping a current apicipal tax payment could be put off till, cipps were being sold, and some revenue whs coming in, said Councillor Gord Rob- itspn. a member of the Agricultural Advi- s(||f Committee and a farmer himself. piiey were kind of hoping that maybe wp could support this, but. it just couldn't happen, because there are other sectors out there facing just as much stress," he said. Not only that, but the Municipality would have had to upfront the money to the Region, which would have put stress on local municipal coffers, he said. Instead, Clarington Clarington treasurer Nancy Taylor, Durham treasurer Jim Clapp, and Clarington Mayor John Mutton have suggested that the agricultural community go after the Province to work out a similar deal as has been agreed to with the Region, in terms of tax ratio. Here, the Region has made a permanent reduction in farmland taxation beginning in 2005, through the lowering of the tax 'This is the second year of the lowering of , - agricultural taxes, and that's a major 'y mi i accomplishment that our iL\ ji agricultural advisory committee had Æ/. a hand in,' -- John Mutton 1 Gord Robinson ratio for farmland. The ratio was reduced from 25 per cent of the residential rate to 23-and-a-third per cent in 2005.. It will be further reduced in 2005, and dropped further, to 20 per cent of the residential rate, in 2007. For 2006, this represents an approximate seven per cent reduction on the local and regional regional share of the average farmland tax bill. The tax ratio reduction stemmed from Clarington's agricultural agricultural advisory committee, but wound up benefiting benefiting farmers across the region, said Mayor Mutton, Mutton, who chairs Durham's finance committee. The Region votes on its budget today (Wednesday). "This is the second year of the lowering of agricultural taxes, and that's a major accomplishment that our agricultural advisory committee had a hand in," he said. "We need to look at the education taxes being lowered." Traditionally, the local and education portions each amount to a little better than a quarter of the overall tax bill, with the Regional portion making up the remainder. remainder. So, the agricultural advisory committee will ask, through council, that the Province consider making the same type of reduction reduction as the Region has. "If we don't try, we'll never know," said Councillor Robinson. Calls to Ontario's finance ministry were not returned in time for The Canadian Statesman's deadline. John Mutton Resource Centre I Bf ERIN HATFIELD S^ff Writer bURHAM - When executive director Nancy Burke arrived at the Volunteer Resource Centre for Durham Region on F^b. ,13, it was simply to tie up a few lobseends. . The centre, located iri Oshawa, had bden forced to shut down operations thfee days earlier due to a lack, of funding. funding. But, to the surprise of Ms. Burke, the centre's saving grace was waiting there for her.. She received notice it had been awarded a $25,000 federal grant from thjb New Horizons for Seniors program, which the, centrq had. applied for in Sep- tejnber 2005. - . v"" ... fit was enoügh : to keèp i.us- going .for another six'to eight months," Ms. Burke said. "We will still have to secure more funding. I feel good about where we are gtjing." pie centre also received a donation frçm the Royal Bank of Canada Foundation, Foundation, to which they had also applied, for $4,000. : : ;/ {Vs well, The Green Thumb Florist in . Ajax made a $385 donation after a three- day fundraising initiative. iJust a lot of small things have been coming through," Ms. Burke said. The funding will keep the centre in business while it continues to search for ot 1er consistent funding sources. The Volunteer Resource Centre for Durham Region provides volunteer recruitment and referral services to peo- pl i who want to volunteer and not-for-. profit organizations' in need of volunteers, volunteers, Their mission is to foster, develop arid sustain growth in volunteerism in ortier to help build a strong and dynamic community. MM Mondiÿs 18% iff 911 Mondays 5; h' t..,,, T., j f ^ yu '■ It's natural to feel this good. 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