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Cash for CAS-hh Dale Thibideau of Georgetown Runners recently dropped by the Cancer Assistance Services of Halton Hills (CAShh) office to present a cheque for $1,000 to CAS-hh executive director Sheila Smith and public relations director Katelyn Kiaer. The funds were raised by the club at their annual Egg Nog Jog, held at Terra Cotta Conservation area. Photo by Ted Brown Fogal fears service cuts with new budgeting tool Continued from pg. 1 The bonus of the new budgeting is it a method to reduce the property tax impact of each capital project. Every year there's about $6-7 million worth of construction projects-- roads, bridges, parks, etc.-- that the charge-back could be applied to. This translates to about $200,000 or a 1 per cent tax increase that is "charged back" from the capital to the operating budget. In August, budget committee gave staff approval to prepare an 2007 budget with a base budget increase of 3.1 per cent plus 2 per cent for the pavement management program and 1.3 per cent for the hiring of firefighters-- an overall 6.4 per cent increase. But with the new charge-back, that increase is now 5.4 per centor an overall 3.2 per cent with Town, Region and Education taxes combined. "This is one method you have available to you to reduce the 2007 operating budget," explained Finance Director Ed DeSousa, adding similar amounts will have to be included in base budgets in future years to avoid a tax impact. But the downside says Wards 3/4 Regional Councillor Jane Fogal is a reduction in services (or the amount of funding for the actual cost of construction). She said it means 3 per cent of capital funding is no longer available for a project. "It is written as reducing taxes, but it's also a reduction in services-- we have less money to deal with," she said. "Things are going to be cut back." "I understand about JANE FOGAL wanting to account for staff time, but I'm not at all sure about reducing service. I think our service levels are already pretty minimal," she said. "I think it's a good news report," said Ward 4 Councillor Bob Inglis. "I don't quite see it as a reduction of services. ...It's a much more open way and I think that's good for our taxpayers. "Staff has been creative," agreed Mayor Rick Bonnette. "We're dealing with real costs here... Other municipalities are doing it and I think we've been falling behind by not doing it." The 2007 budget deliberations will begin in earnest in January. (Cynthia Gamble can be reached at cgamble@independentfreepress.com)