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6 Independent & Free Press,Thursday, May 19, 2011 OPINION Bad medicine On Monday night Halton Hills' 11 councillors will vote on whether to contribute $4.546 million of YOUR money towards the Georgetown Hospital renovation and expansion project. The $12.1 million capital project would see the hospital gain a much-needed CT scanner, a new diagnostics imaging department and an expanded emergency department. The Town's contribution, if approved, would come from a dedicated levy on property owners--roughly $24/year for 10 years. There are some legitimate concerns about helping to fund this project via taxpayers. First, the project comes on the heels of a council decision to build three new ice surfaces that carries a $29M pricetag. The arena project comes on the heels of library projects in Acton and Georgetown. That's a lot of new infrastructure in a short time in a town with a small tax base, skyhigh development charges and severe water limitations that hamper development. Secondly, there is the question (again legitimate) as to why the Province, whose mandate is to fund healthcare in Ontario, is not paying for the hospital project. That's one best answered by Premier Dalton McGuinty and his health minister, but they're not talking and are ignoring Mayor Rick Bonnette's plea for financial assistance. Surprise, surprise. A CT scanner is vitally needed at Georgetown Hospital as are the renovations. Time is now a factor and we cannot wait another seven or eight years for provincial funding approval. This may be a bitter pill for some taxpayers to swallow but it is medicine that is needed. Council should vote to approve the contribution to this project while also continuing to pressure the Province to do the right thing and pay its rightful share. 905-873-0301 Publisher: Ken Nugent General manager: Steve Foreman (sforeman@independentfreepress.com) Retail advertising manager: Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@independentfreepress.com) Managing editor: John McGhie (jmcghie@independentfreepress.com) Distribution manager: Nancy Geissler (ngeissler@independentfreepress.com) Classifieds Kristie Pells (classified@independentfreepress.com) Accounting Rose Marie Gauthier Editorial Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@independentfreepress.com) Ted Brown: Photography (tbrown@independentfreepress.com) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@independentfreepress.com) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@independentfreepress.com) Letters policy Letters must include an address and daytime phone number. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 150 words and may be edited for content and/or length. Publication is not guaranteed. Email: jmcghie@independentfreepress.com Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1. Steve Nease Letters to the editor Province is dealing with littering issue Dear editor, I just wanted to assist Kelly Warnock with regard to her May 5 letter about not knowing what to tell her children about the issue of smokers throwing their cigarette butts out car windows. She is right, it is a problem and Kelly can tell her children that it is being addressed by the Ontario government. Bill 28, referred to as the Cigarette and Cigar Butt Litter Prevention Act, 2010, is currently going through the process of being made into legislation. It will make it an offence to throw cigarette butts, cigarettes, cigar butts, and cigars on or adjacent to a highway. This will amend the Highway Traffic Act Section that deals with the littering of other waste/garbage on a highway as well. It is not just the smokers, but everyone who litters outside that is harming the environment. This act also amends the Environmental Protection Act to include the littering of the same smoking products. I enjoy long walks in our beautiful town and it is disturbing to see the trash that litters the streets at times. Seeing families participating in the community cleanup day a few weeks ago was wonderful and helps to makes the children more aware of environmental issues. It is not just the smokers and youth littering. It's up to all of us to do our part to protect the environment. Pam Hand, Georgetown In addition, we would also like to thank our sponsors: Agram Meats, Metro Georgetown, Maple Lodge Farms, Pepsi, Superior Glove, Hornby Glen Golf Course, The Independent & Free Press, The Milton Champion, Tim Hortons and firsttime sponsor M&M Meat Shops for their support which helped to make the day a tremendous success. Being the 11th year of this event, there was a noticeable reduction in the amount of trash per kilometre of roadway. On the increase is the amount of construction/renovation trash and most disturbing was the more than 20 gallons of used motor oil found in leaking gallon containers. This used oil with all its contaminants will find its way into our drinking water, be it ground or lake-based. Oil can be dropped off at the regional hazardous waste site or many automotive supply retail outlets. Last, but not least, we thank all our corporate volunteers including Bahr Saddlery and Trans Canada Power Generation for all their efforts to clean up the environment and we extend an invitation to all volunteers and supporters to join us again in April 2012. Erik Kowal, President, Hornby Association of Rate Payers (HARP) Cleanup thanks Dear editor, In spite of the postponed rain date and a cold wet morning April 23, hardy volunteers for the Hornby cleanup day persevered and continued the area cleanup in the excess of 250 bags of garbage and thousands of pounds (kilograms) of other materials from the roadside ditches and creeks. We applaud our volunteers for their tremendous effort on such a cold day and we also wish to thank our co-ordinator, Peter Vaughan, Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette, Councillors Jane Fogal and Bryan Lewis, Town council and Town staff for their support in this event and for the use of Hornby Park as a staging area. WEB POLL RESULTS (Go to www.independentfreepress.com) Should Town council vote (May 24) in favour of contributing $4.5M to the hospital renovation project? Yes (75%) No (25%) The Independent & Free Press The Independent & Free Press is published Tuesday and Thursday and is one of several Metroland Media Group Ltd. community newspapers. Editorial and advertising content of The Independent & Free Press is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.