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www.independentfreepress.com Recipe of the week: Peach salsa 50 cents (+GST) THE INDEPENDENT & FREE PRESS Parks & Rec guide with today's edition Page 16 Friday, August 17, 2007 48 Pages Halton Hills' award-winning newspaper INSIDE Local crops suffering from lack of rainfall TED BROWN Staff Writer From May to July of this year, Halton Hills has experienced one of the driest spells in recent history, and local crops are telling the story. Local farmer Bill Allison, who crops 1,400 acres in Halton Hills, is well aware of that story, having recently finished harvesting his spring wheat. "The fall wheat was an average yield," said Allison, "but not unexpectedly, the spring wheat was down a bit. Fortunately, it matured early enough to miss major damage, but it's still down a bit." Allison also feels the corn yields will be affected this fall. "The dry spell has already impacted pollination and reproduction of the corn a fair bit, so the cobs haven't have the opportunity to fill out to the ends. If we get some decent rain soon, at least what is there will have an opportunity to fill a bit, but that won't change the number of kernels in each cob." See SOYBEAN, pg. 12 Local groups receive Trillium grants Page 13 Thunderbolts claim Ontario titles Page S/L1 Editorial 6 Ted Brown 7 Sports S/L1, 3-5 Calendar S/L7 Classifieds 19-22 Limehouse area farmer Fred Anthony checks the growth on some of the cobs in his corn crop. With the recent dry weather, the cobs have not filled to the end of the cob, so Anthony predicts yields will suffer when the corn is harvested this fall. Photo by Ted Brown It's early, but Town is considering 6.6% tax hike CYNTHIA GAMBLE Staff Writer For the first time proposed Town taxes for 2008 will be break the $1,000 barrier. Halton Hills council gave direction Monday night to Town staff to begin preparing the 2008 budget with a proposed 6.6 per cent increase on tax bills next year. In 2007 the increase was 5.4 per cent. That percentage equates to a $65 increase on homes assessed at $300,000. Taxpayers will pay $1,045 compared to the $980 paid this year. Combined with proposed Town, Halton Region ($1,354) and education taxes ($792), the overall increase is predicted to be 3.8 per cent-- $117-- that's $3,191 for all taxes combined. But it's early yet, with Town staff preparing to sit down to whittle away at their budgets this fall. Staff will also prepare "decision packages" that reflect an additional one per cent increase or one per cent decrease in programs and services. In a departure from past practice, deliberation of the 2008 capital budget and the public delegation night, will be held in midModel 1K25R1 WEDNESDAY... Many of the top agility dogs in North America will be competing at Halton Place this weekend. See Wednesday's edition for details. For breaking news go to: www.independentfreepress.com November while discussion of the operating budget will be held in early January. The operating budget includes a base budget increase of 3.4 per cent plus 2 per cent ($445,000) dedicated to the pavement management program and 1.2 per cent ($275,000) dedicated to the hiring of four firefighters. This is the last year of the five-year pavement management program. In a presentation to council, Finance Director Ed DeSousa outlined a number of factors figuring into the 2008 budget: See TOWN'S, pg. 5 APPLE We handle all insurance work. GEORGETOWN CHRYSLER Auto Glass ® Georgetown Volkswagen 203 Guelph Street 9 0 5 . 8 7 7. 5 2 8 5 georgetownvw.com 2007 Jetta $358/mo. 48 mo. lease The Summer Sizzle Jetta Sale. GEORGETOWN VOTED #1 FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE ·Truck Accessories ·Upholstery ·Heavy Equipment Glass ·Window Tinting 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown (905) 873-1655 $0 First Payment $0 Security Deposit $0 Down Payment Includes Freight Includes PDI Includes PPSA Fee Includes Admin. Fee 2007 KIA SPECTRA Visit your friends at Georgetown Volkswagen for full details. Supplies are limited. CALL THE GEORGETOWN 1-866-364-0697 or HEADQUARTERS 905-877-7818 0 % FINANCE