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THE NEW TANNERTHURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2009 17 Environment Day Saturday, April 25, 2009 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Robert C. Austin Operations Centre 11620 Trafalgar Road, Georgetown Halton Region is holding an Environment Day in Georgetown, as part of the Town of Halton Hills Earth Day Event. Environment Day is for Halton residents only. Commercial and industrial waste is not accepted. Household Hazardous Waste Acceptable materials: pesticides, paint, stains, motor oil, antifreeze, varsol, fuels, cleaners, pool chemicals, pharmaceuticals, propane tanks, household batteries, car batteries, and fluorescent tubes and bulbs. Unacceptable materials: needles, syringes and lancets, asbestos, PCBs, explosives, and ammunition. Lawn and garden prizes will be given out (while quantities last). This give away is sponsored by Partners for Naturally Green as part of a public education and awareness raising program. If you are unable to attend Environment Day: Household hazardous waste can be dropped off free of charge at the Household Hazardous Waste Depot located at the Halton Waste Management Site (HWMS), 5400 Regional Road 25, Milton Tires and electronics are also accepted at the HWMS for a fee Reusable items are accepted free of charge at the Salvation Army Depot located at the HWMS www.halton.ca/waste Tires Halton residents may drop off up to eight (8) residential passenger vehicle tires (rims included) Commercial vehicle, truck, and tractor tires will not be accepted Electronics Acceptable materials: computers, stereos, phones, VCRs, DVD players, TVs, and computer monitors Unacceptable materials: metal and appliances, wooden console TVs, microwaves Reusable Items Acceptable materials: clothing, linens, paired shoes, kitchenware, toys, useable electronics, and undamaged furniture Unacceptable materials: cabinets, desks, typewriters, barbeques, tires, auto parts, mattresses, cribs and car seats Pick-up Blue Boxes (free of charge) Blue Boxes will be available while quantities last. One free Blue Box per household. Proof of residency is required. Backyard Composters Earth Machine Backyard Composters can be purchased for $15 (taxes included) while quantities last. Proof of residency is required. Free Drop-off Tanner April 16 09 The Regional Municipality of Halton www.halton.ca 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville, Ontario L6M 3L1 Dial 311 or 905-825-6000 Toll Free 1-866-442-5866 TTY 905-827-9833 www.halton.ca 16040 9 Earth Hour is meant to raise environmental issues To the editor, The New Tanner re- ported on April 2 that Earth Hour was a suc- cess, but one must look critically at the facts presented. The purpose of Earth Hour is not to reduce power usage for one hour. Rather, it aims to raise awareness for environmental issues, notably climate change. The success of this initiative should not be based on how much elec- tricity was conserved during a mere hour, but its large scale effect. Has power consumption in Halton Hills (beyond the change to CFLs) signifi- cantly decreased since last years Earth Hour? W h i l e t h e t o w n was turning of non- essen t i a l l i gh t s and electronic equipment (for Earth Hour) I sus- pect others were doing the same. Non-essential power usage should not be el iminated for an hour, it should be elim- inated entirely. We, as a species, are failing to protect the very planet we depend on. Cutting energy usage is merely one small piece of the puzzle. The ar t ic le by An- gela Tyler, Celebrating Earths Half Hour provides an example of her lack of commitment for the environment. When we reduce our power consumption for Earth Hour, we state that we are dedicated to en- vironmental initiatives and ready to make a differ- ence. To go shopping for sport while cutting your household energy use for Earth Hour is unthinkable and contradictory. Those who participated in earth hour but do nothing else to reduce their ecological footprint this year are, quite simply, hypocrites. For more information on the issue of consumer- ism, see the Story of Stuff at www.storyofstuff.com M. Demand, Limehouse Region asks cops, HRCA to share in tax freeze Jim & Sandra Kenzie are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter Meredith Louise to Jonathan Aart Van Viegrn Son of Jane Kuippers & Dennis Van Veigen The wedding will take place June 27, 2009 in Hamilton. Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness By Frances Niblock Halton police and two con- servation authorities will be asked to share the pain of a Regional tax freeze in 2010. While Halton Chair Gary Carr asked staff to report on how to affect a zero per cent in- crease on the Regional portion of property taxes, Regional and Acton Councillor Clark Somerville convinced his Hal- ton colleagues to try expand the proposed freeze to police and the Halton and Credit Val- ley conservation authorities. Its the principle of the thing. If were asking the Regional staff to try to come in at zero (percent increase), we should ask the conserva- tion authorities and police the two main groups that receive funding through the budget levy to consider a zero increase in funding as well, Somerville said on Thursday. He said his argument is bolstered by the fact that the police had a $4 million sur- plus last year and Haltons surplus was only $1 million. He also noted that in the past few years the Regional tax increase has averaged at less than one per cent. Somerville admits it is hard to discuss freezing the police budget because Halton is such a safe community, but doesnt think it is fair not to ask the police and conserva- tion authorities, which have had double digit budget in- creases in past years. Create own budgets Both the police and con- servation authorities receive large portions of their oper- ating funding from property taxes, but they each create their own budgets. We can not direct the po- lice budget, nor can we direct the conservation authorities budgets they are autono- mous boards that present their budgets to the Region for funding. Maybe there are projects that they could put off until 2011 are there new staff that are wanted or are they needed? Somerville said. A freeze on property taxes for Regional services like roads, garbage collection and social services would result in an approximate savings of $20 on the average tax bill. Staff had projected a 2.5 per cent tax hike for 2010 mean- ing they would have to find $5.3-million in savings in the budget. Halton finance staff will begin budget direction talks next month. At this point, Somerville said he is not suggesting that the Town adopt a similar zero per cent tax increase for 2010. At the Town, there are different budget pressures from all those years that we had zero tax increases, have we ever caught up? We have done some reorganization and probably have fewer staff than in the past. We are so mindful of the budget, he said, adding the Town will begin its budget directions in August. Wellington O.P.P. Report Domestic Violence Officers from Wellington OPP responded to a report of a domes- tic disturbance in a parking lot in Erin at 11:26am on Wednesday, April 8. Investigation revealed that the victim, a 41-year-old fe- male, had been followed by her ex-boyfriend in his vehicle and bumped several times. When the victim exited her vehicle, the suspect also drove at her. The suspect later surrendered him- self to police at the Rockwood Detachment. A 44-year-old male from Orangeville, was arrested and faces charges of Dangerous Driv- ing and Assault with a Weapon. He was held in custody for a bail hearing in Guelph Court on April 9. Smoking driver On Saturday, April 11 at about 11:45pm Wellington OPP offi- cers investigated the driver of a 2002 Chevy SUB on Main Street, Rockwood. As the officer spoke to the driver, he noted the driver was smoking a cigarette and also had two children, less than 16 in the rear of the SUV. Police also found the driver was currently suspended from driving under the Highway Traffic Act. A 33-year-old Guelph man has been charged with Drive Suspended and Smoke Tobacco in a Motor Vehicle with Person less than 16 years present under the Highway Traffic Act. He is scheduled to appear in Guelph court on May 20.