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says regional government stays The Acton Free Press Wednesday Aug 31 Ontario Treasurer Darcy has a reputation for speaking bluntly and he preserved it when he spoke to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario last week McKeoughsaidamongotherthlngs that regional government Is here to stay system He also said That second TV clip solutions to local governments and particular regional governments that if you don t like them disband them won t work to anyone advantage particularly the taxpayers He said the restructuring of local government began in the 60s as a logical alternative to the two very undesirable extremes of bitter annexations and increasing decision making and Queens Park If it isnt working then much of the responsibility lies with local representatives On the other hand McKeough admitted regional or restructured government has not achieved perfection the most cogent criticisms of the performance of restructured areas have been produced by the Government Itself And he told the Association that the Government is prepared to consider changes where shortcomings are identified We may have in many cases with so many special purpose bodies created a system that may be described as one in which everyone Is involved and no one is clearly responsible This can have an inflat impact because so many independent units indulge in what amounts to blind budgeting that takes account only of their own and no one else s needs MpKeoagh referred to conservation a thorites and police commissions bodies who set their own needs but asked Who do we hold to account for the community in general It is a paradox that the level of government closest to the people is often the most confusing and least understood he observed was particularly critical of projected 10 per cent increase In property taxes this year This Is too rich for our current economic situation he declared On the municipal side the average increase is about nine per cent while the increase for school purposes Is about per cent McKeough said it was not the time to discuss school board affairs but he felt what applies on the municipal side applies as well to school boards Professing dismay at the high tax increases he also noted that local spending is projected to increase at the same rate as last year even though cost Increases moderated significantly He used the salaries of municipal employees and teachers as examples noting municipal wage settlements were running at about 14 per cent in 1976 but for 1977 are down around eight per cent while teachers went down from 17 per cent to nine But municipal spending will Increase by about 1 1 per cent in compared with a three per cent growth rate last year All this seems to me to mean that an end to restraint has been declared by some councils and school boards complained Taxpayers want continued restraint at all levels of government he declared and they want local government to show clear evidence spending levels are being held down says that excessive spending endangers the credibility of local govern men Is and furnishes ammunition for those who want extreme centralist remedies would emasculate local govern ment Dissatisfaction with regional govern ment McKeough claims is often badly distorted For example criticisms about disproportionate increases in expenditures In restructured areas as compared with the rest of the province It really galls me when regional expenditure figures are quoted without reference to Increases in population family formation and economic activity McKeough said Thirty second pot shot artists make no such distinctions he says yet If you look at the 1977 figures It Is apparent some regions are working well absorbing new responsibilities and showing only modest mill rate increases He cited Newmarket a high growth area in York Region which has kept its mill rate flat even with Increases in school costs in recent years Less than five per cent in 1970 Restructured areas can perform ficiently and curb spending levels or vice versa says depending on priorities Most restructuring was done when the province was expanding rapidly and the emphasis was on service delivery Now money Is no longer so plentiful and the emphasis la on cost effectiveness and it Is up the regional governments to meet the challenge he said I remain an advocate of local responsibility McKeough insists and reforms must always move to strengthen accountability Under the old fragmented system of local government the rich got richer and the poor got poorer according to McKeough I am not going to turn back the clock We are not prepared to dismantk restructured local government resurrecting some 122 municipalities and some 251 boards and commissions that crowded the landscape in the good old days but could not address our realities Decentralization can only work if we have established local structures that can cope That among other things implies a minimum size and grouping McKeough asserted Under the old system there was no way to bring together executive power resources and accountability to make a coherent and responsive approach to public policy maintained but it can be done under regional government If local governments use their powers responsibly If they can do that then Queen Park believes additional Tesponsl bility is in the works For instance the Ministry of the Environment has embarked upon a program of reassigning operating responsibility of water and sewage treatment facilities to municipalities It has been obvious from the outset that the municipalities now serviced by the Ministry are rather reluctant to take this step We hear a lot about the need for greater local authority Yet when the Province invites municipalities to operate their own local water and sewerage facilities the enthusiasm for more responsibility hardly translates into action I must ask therefore How serious are municipalities about running their own affairs Surely after providing its initial technical ex pertise and the facilities themselves the Province should not be expected to also operate these facilities said I am not this morning telling you that I or the Government will somehow force you to hold the line on taxes nor am I making a pitch for regional governments My government policy Bays It up to you to set the ax rate and Initiate What I am saying to myself and you as politicians and In the best sense of that word an leader believing as do in local government hi self THOMAS GIBBONS BROUGHT in this picture to the Free Press office to show readers what the Rev LenEwing seated on the left looked like in his school days is of Miss s class in the early s Crash kills area man A man died bound on Township Line police The accident cause recently after head injuries In a motorcycle Gordon John Walker of It It l Hillsburgh sustained Injuries in a single vehicle mishap August 17 He died the following Sunday Mr Walker was south Two north of Sideroad is under investigation when the skidded The motorcycle fell to the left and Mr Walker is survived by slid for some stance wire Sheila and three A passing motorist found children Martha Kathy and Mr Walker and called Matthew Excess land Manner of sale is questioned MISS DAISY S senior third book sits for the photographer in the early s From the photographer s point of view the right row from front to back are Donald Mann Clifford Precious Irina Styles John Mellon Henry Cnpps and John Donaldson Thesecondrow are Ernie Isabel Bruce Frank Winters McCoomb Catherine Stewart Herbert Taylor Styles Mary Gibbons In the third row front to back are Hall Jim MeGeachie Hilman Howard Switzer Olive Rooks Mary Mills Nora and Gord Curne In the next row are Davies Thomas Gibbons Velma Blair Billy Williams John Barber Masales and Gordon Babcock The fifth row is made up of Stuart Irene Cross Phyllis Glen Ryder and WillaLasby The last row front to back are Claira Bower Audns Weaver Gordon Hansen and Gordon Region Public Works Committee will re commend payment of in real estate fees to Stephen P Saxe but the committee members very happy about it Burlington Councillor Vern Conn ell wondered why a real estate agent was involved in the sale of the excess region owned lands in Stewarttown He said he recalled the com miltec agreeing to sell the property but he felt direction hod been given for staff lo handle the sale direct instead of through an agent Hills Mayor Tom Hill said he had received some flack about the region using the same firm for Ihe sale as it docs for some ap praisal work Tht firm sold land for Whle no councillor on the committee quest the realtor right to the com mission they did question why the property wis listed with the firm in the first place Solicitor Mike Martin and Property Agent Vince were both absent from the building when the matter came before com mlttee Chief Administration Officer Ernie Held said hi dn know why the property was listed and agreed it was ntthcnormal procedure Mr asked to find out why staff had dev from the policy EVERY MONOAY BINGO Now held in GEORGETOWN ELKS LODGE Mountamv Georgetown PRIZES NO BINGO SEPTEMBER 5 Reg Gamas 3 Special Jackpot 56 Numbers GUARANTEED 100 I FREE BUS SERVCE CONCRETE PLANTERS OFFER LIMITED CATHEA CONCRETE XL RESTORATIONS LTD MARTIN ST MILTON mil at If IS Flower Arranging Demonstration Acton Public Library Saturday September 10th 1977 I Please Register Library LIMITED TO PEOPLE Cheshire home soon With the opening of the first Cheshre Home in Burlington now only two months away preparations are being stepped up The home a 100year old house on Ontario St which is being specially adapted for seven handicapped people Is a non profit project part of the world wide Cheshire foundation The project Is in the hands of a group of Burlington and Oakvillc citizens and is backed by many service clubs both communities including Civitan and May Court LIGHTING SHOWROOM 1 and Wl GERRIE ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO LTD BOX OFFICE OPENS 7 SHOW STARTS AT DUSK ONE PRICE COVERS ENTIRE PROGRAM COME EARLY ACTON CANADIAN TIRE TUNEUP SPECIAL WE WILL Scope Check Your Engine Test Your Points Spark Plugs Wires Filters WE WILL Pressure Test Coolant System Test Hoses Radand Water Pump WE WILL Test and Clean Battery and Top Up Fluid Test Charging System Test All Belts WE WI Check All Lights Check Defroster and Heater System All For One Low Price REG VALUE SPECIAL USE YOUR CANADIAN TIRE CARD tire a t I PROP 130 Mill St E Acton 1060