"Scugog"s Community Newspaper of Choice" PA-TOOIE! ...Young Jerem prepares to send a projectile takes part in a sunflower s Saturday. The event was pa when Port hosted a Beaver JEFF MITCHELL/PO y Booth of Port Perry toward a target as he eed spitting contest rt of the fun and games ee at the fairgrounds. Breakdown of figures tells another story, says Drew Trustee questions benefits of budget By Rik Davie Port Perry Star Durham East MPP, John O'Toole is hailing the new provincial budget as a boost for education in Durham Region. ...Not so fast, says Scugog public school trustee Bobbie Drew. Mrs. Drew said increases for education funding announced last Tuesday may not be as beneficial as they appear at first glance. "You have to look at some of the funding in its con- text," she said. Mr. O'Toole, for instance, is pleased with the $12 million earmarked for improving science classrooms in elementary schools. But Mrs. Drew said "the figure of $12 million for upgrades to science classrooms is not quite as signifi- cant when you realize that Durham will receive about 4 per cent of it, and it costs around $200,000 to fit a room of that type." The veteran trustee member also takes a cautious view of the government's announced increases for public school text books. Mr. O'Toole said the funding works out to "around $150 per student. It will benefit our students greatly." Mrs. Drew is glad of the increase for books, but again cautions that the number has to be looked at from the local perspective. "That $150 per student figure includes the present allotment of $75," she said. "So the actual increase is $75 per child. Why not Just say that?" The education item that bothers Mrs. Drew most is a one-time, $971 million restructuring payment. She said the government funds will help pay off debts accumulated by boards who continued to build schools after the government had declared a moratorium on building. The boards built the schools without the usual 40 per cent government contribution, causing debt. "Now the government's going to bail them out," said Mrs. Drew. "What about boards like Durham, who have been fiscally responsible and who co-operated with the ix he | debt." 4 Bobbie Drew province and didn't build when we were asked not to?" She said there should be some reward to the boards which have held the line in budgeting, "not a reward to boards who went into Mr. O'Toole argues the money 1s not a bail-out of irresponsible school boards. "The money will only be handed out to boards who went ahead with building with education min- istry knowledge," he said. Drew said that one bright spot in the budget was the announcement of $130 million for upgrades in the internet systems of the board. "It will increase our ca greatly and hel resource." pabilities in these areas Pp us stay up with this valuable Boat, trailer are stolen A Caesarea man is out almost $20,000 after his boat, trailer and motor were stolen from his front yard during an overnight theft, say Durham Police. The man, who had taken the boat out of stor- age three weeks ago and was preparing to place it in the water, had left his 19' Sport Craft boat and Volvo V6 inboard/out- board motor loaded on a trailer on the grass beside his driveway when it was stolen around 1 a.m. on May 8, police say. A neighbor beside the Cedar Grove Rd. residence said she awoke to the sound of a dog barking and when she got up to check things out she noticed a light-colored pickup truck driving away with the boating equip- ment, police say. he quickly notified Durham Police and the owner of the equipment, say police. The boat is valued at $16,000 while the trailer is estimated to be worth around $2,200. * Portable 3b rain ergy Efficient Available In Black, White 3 (0)29 8 O 1 ring you savings! at lea SWIVEL RoE, SUB a ® FABRIC ~ ® ASSORTED COLOURS | rn a - 2 TR SEE 4" X 6" iv Pq "y jer eS SED i> FOR En y arn THE 237X325 EE eS eR TRIM RTH YR Ts RITA TY DUE TO THE NATURE OF OUR BUSINESS, WE ARE UNABLE TO ADVERTISE NAME BRANDS. VE PA - CASH FOR vo ENSE RE NS Ba ntl Ad. » : aX : Old Zehrs) TO THE PUBLIC i ------ TR