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Jokes & Riddles Q: Why did the boy eat his homework? A: Because his teacher said it was a piece of cake! COLORING PICTURE List 10 words that rhyme with "test." 1. _______________ 2. _____________ 3. _____________ 4. ______________ 5. _____________ 6. _____________ 7. ______________ 8. _____________ 9. _____________ 10. ______________ Some answers:best, crest, dressed, fest, guessed, guest, jest, lest, messed, nest, pest, quest, rest, vest, zest What Rhymes with 905-877-5814 Come visit us in the Georgetown Market Place AE Connie Ward Educational Director Hon.BA MS.ED/Masters of Education Sabrina Brancatella Music Director Hon.Bachelor of Fine Arts Royal Conservatory Instructor The Royal Academy of Arts and Education Register for Summer Classes TODAY! Tutoring Music EITCH FUELS Home Heating & Air Conditioning 519-833-2139 CALL FOR NEW CUSTOMER PROMOTIONS Family Owned & Operated since 1923 SPRING FURNACE & AIR CONDITIONING MAINTENANCE BOOK NOW FOR 10% DISCOUNT Call for Details Air Conditioning, Oil, Wood/Oil Combo, Gas, Propane Sales, Installation & Service Diesel Fuel/Clear & Coloured/Keylock Diesel Oil Fired Hot Water Heaters - Sales/Lease to Own Annual Service Maintenance Plan Available 24 Hour Burner Service - for our customers St. John's United Church 11 Guelph Street Georgetown Adult LINC/ESL Classes REGISTER NOW [905] 849-7555 ext. 223 HALTON CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD Your Link the Future ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 10 Acton/Georgetown, Friday, May 23, 2008 Halton residents came out in full force this week to tell the Region they dont want to foot the bill for discounts local developers could be given on their development charges (DCs). The citizens turned out for the Regions administration and finance committee meeting Wednesday, when the new proposed DCs were debated once again. While the committee ultimately supported giving DC discounts of about 30 per cent to manufacturing, office and warehouse developments, it first heard from the residents who are unhappy with how the discount will affect their taxes. The lost revenues from the potential new discount would add about $10 onto the typical tax bill. Combine that with the mandatory DC exemptions the Region must grant under the Provinces Development Charges Act and the discretionary exemptions already made for things like agriculture uses and it equates to around $70 for the average household based on a $300,000 assessment. This is up from the $53.60 the typical homeowner has paid over the past several years to cover DC discounts. Taxpayers should not be subsidiz- ing private industries. Those who prof- it should be the ones to pay, said Liz Benneian of Oakvillegreen. Ask that developers pay the full cost of develop- ment. As concerned citizens and tax- payers, we will accept nothing less. Oakville resident Brian Burton reminded councillors around the table that some of them campaigned on the promise of removing the cost of devel- opment from residents tax bills. Its time to make good on your campaign promises, he said. Do the right thing for residents. Kurt Koster of Burlingtongreen asserted that new development should pay for itself. Milton resident Olga Shewchun shared similar sentiments, noting that councillors have an opportunity to make wealthy developers pay the true cost of development in Halton. But Lyn Townsend, who represents the Halton Industrial Development Group, told the residents that the $10 the new proposed discounts will add onto the average tax bill isnt going to dismantle a household. Carol McDonald, representing the Milton Chamber of Commerce, agreed that $10 is an insignificant amount to pay for the benefits that will be derived. I know I want jobs for my kids, jobs for my neighbours and jobs for myself, she said. Chris Kowalchuk of the West River Residents Association in Oakville dis- agreed with the two women. To some people, $10 is a lot. Thats three bags of milk, he said. Why dont we charge them (developers) $10 more if its such an insignificant amount? DCs are levied by municipalities to recover growth-related costs associated with things like roads, water and sewer infrastructure needed to service new development. The new DCs are expected to cover 78 per cent of development costs, or $56 million per year, leaving 22 per cent to be paid by the taxpayers, or $15 million. Its proposed that the 30 per cent discount for manufacturing, office and warehouse development be gradually phased out by 2010, which would increase DCs by about $4 per square foot. The development community has already told the Region on several occasions that the high DCs will act as a deterrent for businesses looking to set up shop in Halton. Peter McKenna, a Halton Hills resi- dent who spoke on behalf of the indus- trial/commercial brokerage communi- ty, once again listed several companies that are already choosing to locate out- side of Halton in places where its cheaper to develop. Oakville Chamber of Commerce executive director John Sawyer said significant increases in DCs make it hard to attract investment in the com- munity. He also noted that Region needs incentives for businesses to invest in Halton, not barriers. And Steve Deveaux, who spoke on behalf of residential developers Tribute Communities and the Metrontario Group, strongly urged the committee to maintain the status quo and charge DCs on an area-specific basis. Currently the Region charges Halton-wide DCs for roads and general services and area-specific DCs for water and wastewater, with the latter fees being higher in Halton Urban Structure Plan (HUSP) areas where rapid development is taking place, like Milton, north Oakville and the Halton Hills 401 corridor. While Region staff had been recom- mending a region-wide DC structure, Burlington Councillor Peter Thoem put forward a motion amendment on behalf of fellow Burlington Councillor John Taylor, who doesnt sit on the committee that called for the area-specific DCs. Regional Chair Gary Carr was criti- cal of such a motion coming up at the last minute. Public policy making cant be done on the fly, he said, noting that staff puts out the committee agendas a week before the meeting takes place. Theres no excuse for this (proposed motion) not being out at the end of (last) week. In the future, lets do it properly. I told you ahead of time what I was going to do, Taylor said heatedly. He and Burlington Councillor Jack Dennison went on to argue that the two DC options area-specific and region-wide were outlined in every report staff has prepared on the topic over the past several months. Thoems motion was ultimately supported by the majority of commit- tee. It will now go before regional council at its meeting Wednesday for a final decision. If the area-specific DCs are approved by council, then the cost to develop a home in a HUSP area would go from $22,752 to $28,864 and from $13,677 in a non-HUSP area to $23,764. The price for a retail develop- ment in a HUSP area would rise from $12.09 per square foot to $14.79, while non-HUSP retail would pay $11.23 per square foot, up from the current $10.36. Manufacturing, office and ware- housing businesses would have to fork over a discounted rate of $10.74 per square foot in HUSP areas, up from $9.59, and $7.18 per square foot in non-HUSP areas, which is down slight- ly from the current $7.85. Once the discounts are phased out though, these fees would be the same as those for retail developments. Area residents reiterate opposition to developers getting break on DCs MELANIE HENNESSEY Special to The IFP Taxpayers should not be subsidizing private industries. Those who profit should be the ones to pay. Liz Benneian of Oakvillegreen