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| " =p" Scugog Citizen -- Tuesday, September 26, 1995 -- 25 4a Education chairman replies to Task Force The Ontario School Reduction Task Force released on September 6 its interim report recommending new school board boundaries to reduce the b of schba] boards in Ontario by about 50 percent to a total of 82. Forty-threeof these would be English 1 ge public school boards. The Durham * Board of Educatios would remain intact, The final tournament of the season was held recently at the Port Perry Lawn Bowling Club. Sponsored by Wagg Funeral Home-McDermott Panabaker Chapel, the tournament was a mixed doubles event. Jack and Verna Gatt (at left) from the Li y Club came out on top. With them in photo are sponsor Myles O'Riordan and Marta Gill, tournament convenor. RMED WITH ONLY A BOLL OF DUCT TAPE AND RACING AGAINST TIME, MR FI X MT but the number of trustees would be reduced from 15 to 11. Just prior to the last municipal election, the Durham Board voluntarily reduced its numbers from 21 to 15. The task force _ report undermines issues of local accountability and local autonomy. "We believe that people want to see reductions in government," says Patricia Bowman, Durham Board Chairperson, "but whether 11 trustees is too few may be a valid question." In comparison to this proposed reduction, Durham's regional government operates with 32 councilors to govern a budget smaller than the Durham Board's and an area just slightly larger. The task force .report recommends a maximum remuneration of $20,000 for trustees. Says Bowman, "Dyrham trustees have frozen their remuneration level at $13,600 for the past 4 years in consideration of the difficult financial times we are facing. This recommendation would not result in any savings for Durham ratepayers." The Durham Board has long been concerned about the, strain which retirement gratuities put on its annual budgets and would welcome an opportunity to explore the positions outlined in the task force report. These include freezing and "grandparenting" existing plans and excluding them from future collective agreements with staff, and negotiating a contingency fund from within the existing pool of money to cover the liabilities. Bowman is pleased to see the suggestion that education finance reform take place at the same time as the proposed school board reductions. Currently, education taxes are the only specifically-dedicated taxes in Ontario. School boards have been concerned that the government could erode this position by diverting the taxes collected for education to other provincial programs. Bowman feels the use of an independent government agency to. collect and distribute commercial and residential property taxes provincially could assist with maintaining the integrity of this process. 'MR. AX IT" is brought io you by XL. GAS BAR Hwy. 7A & Simcoe St. Jack MONSMA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL - COMMERCIAL - RESIDENTIAL 4 Edinborough Avenue (905) 985-2917 Port Perry, Ont. L9L INS Mobile: 434-9052 i! 7 S 7 mn KEN P MURRAY || | James Rankin Electric If your ad was here RESIDENTIAL - FARM it would be seen ELECTRIC .7o)| | coumerciawininG by over 30,000 "SINCE 1060" Ne voor. Hox Water Tans Sorvce potential readers RESIDENTIAL © INDUSTRIAL Free Estimates - Fuly neue SALES I SERVICE Durham COMMERCIAL, LCi = 985- -8537 PARTS 8 INSTALLATION POLE LINE CONSTRUCTION 170 REAGH MD, PARK PT. PERRY Re) 985-7005 Sat. 9:30 to 2:00 DURHAM RD 8 985- 1 27 | Por Call First" 21 Home HARDWARE | ® REPAIRS to Screens & Glass SERVICE DIRECTORY Doors & Windows 0 DEADLINE - FRIDAY 5 PM SLocks 125 Sac Bt po TARTAN \ ® GLASS CUT 985-2674 SPEOL STI Y SCUGOG COME OWI Co ro sono. | Hadden Satellite Systems EQUIPMENT + Quality Fabrics Towers M8 Rotors RENTALS * Replacement Foam Collular Phones " * Repairs 168° Dish Avallable * FREE ESTIMATES ™ Sharp & Toshba * OVER 25 YRS. EXP. Televisions & VCR's RECOVER OR BUY VEW i Fire & Burglar Alarms PROPRIETOR: DAVE WALKER 1 Home Electfonics Accessories IL J - SALES - SERVICE - INSTALLATION Coll pre 985 4357 Hy. 12,4 Mies Sth of (705) 3S7-2857S