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Regional tax bill going up by per cent Halton residents will pay an in- crease of almost in their Regional tax bill this year The average resident will pay annually Thats up per cent over figure of almost Halton Regional council approv ed a million budget last week- that will require raising million from Regional taxpayers Regional solid waste costs soared almost per cent over last yean This year residents will pay an added tohelp ship gar bage to New York said Regional budget director Dave Birkett Costs will go to the shipp ing and to fund transport from a Burlington transfer station Water and sewer rates show an increase of 25 per cent last year But these rates amount to almost half the total tax at an average per resident The total operating budget increased per cent over last year This increase would have been 57 per cent if government grants were not frozen at the same rate as last year said Regional Finance Commissioner Joe Rinaldo Provincial government grants were not adjusted for inflation rates or population increases said Mr Birkett And the conditional grant freeze will impact on road repairs The Regional road repair increase will only be sue per cent over last year barely enough to maintain roads already built said Mr Birkett The allotted government grant with its per cent increase doesn take into account any growth that takes place in the Region Were having to finance larger and larger portions of this he said The provincial governments contributions have dropped from 50 per cent to 28 per cent said Mr Birkett The recipients of large budget funding from the Region include the Halton Regional Police who will get million this year con servation authorities hospitals and the Childrens Aid Society will get a total million Regionallyadministered costs were approved at million in the budget The Region has grown commer cially and residentially by five per cent this year changing the totaf property assessment said Mr Birkett In Hills the number of households has grown by per cent a modest assessment in crease But Mr Birkett said fairly significant growth will take place in 1990 Milton has less growth due to limitations in water capacity Oakville and Burlington were growth leaders with an eightper cent increase In Oakville and a 34 per cent increase in Burlington Halton Regions taxation rates jumped dramatically this year compared to last years percent increase And increases in the neighborhood of six to seven per cent are anticipated over the next five years according to Regional projections Finance Commissioner said if provincial grants are frozen at the same level next year the Continued on Page OPEN 1010 7 A WEEK EASTERN AVE ACTON Its Worth the thrive to Acton j Main St N acton Ontario 1W3 Ttk Puts Tthu FORD Home Newspaper Established FREE DISTRIBUTION WEDNESDAY APRIL 12th 1989 PAGES Taxes reduced on three houses after faulty construction Craziest boat across the line The Refugee II was awarded the prize for the craziest boat to cross the finish line at the annual Lions Club Crazy Boat Race down the Credit River in Glen Williams on Saturday Almost 60 crazy boats and 12 canoes made their way down the frigid waters to raise more than J for multiple sclerosis Hundreds of spectators lined the course to watch wet crews push their crafts over rocks and steer them to the finish The Lions Club also put rubber ducks in the water in a race to the finish line to raise money Organizers say the crazy boat race is as popular as ever Aboard the Refugee are Rich Ian Neve Jim Brewster Pete Allan and Judy Brewster Herald Photo by Brian MacLeod By DONNA KELL Herald Staff Three Georgetown residents have won the fight to reduce their house tax by 50 per cent on homes that residents called shoddy and unmarketable The homes at Gardiner Drive off Maple in Georgetown were built by park Lane Estates of Georgetown in They sold for about a home Since then one resident says his house was collapsing inwards and the value has been reduced All I want is justice not vengeance said Preston Ker- mack a resident of 15 Gardiner Drive Mr Kermack said his house was purchased in 1386 and built in The walls had to be rebuilt and concrete was jammed in the fireplace he said The Town of Halton Hills con tinued to collect tax on the Gar- diner Drive homes despite their condition said Mr An Ontario Municipal Board report said residents appealed tax ation on their homes due to faulty interior construction and in competent municipal inspection The agreed to reduce tax on the homes by 50 per cent for Mr Kermack says that amount plus interest should be paid to himself and the residents at and 12 Gardiner Drive The three residents are the only ones tq object to the annual building tax All the taxes have been paid The problem is to get them back said Mr Kermack He said the issue with the Town of Hills which inspected and approved his home in 1987 is not the money anymore I just want the town to take their respon sibility seriously he said Mr Kermack said home is assessed at a lower value than he originally paid even after he has spent tens of thousands of dollars on repairs The house is safe now and its approaching a marketable value as soon as the drainage is fixed he said Mr Kermack and his neighbor have built a ditch twofeet deep in their adjoining lawn The OMB says- water comes in through the basement windows of the homes When it rains the storm runoff from the acres of land to the rear literally streams into and floods the basements Mr Kermack said he will con tinue to fight a proposal by Park Lane Estates to develop another subdivision behind his home He said the new homes would be for 22 new victims He spoke against the proposal by Robert Duckworth of Park Lane Estates at a recent town meeting Under no circumstances should this t person be allowed to build even an outhouse Hed probably build it upside down said Mr Kermack Mr Kermack told the OMB that the faulty construction of the house almost cost his family their lives In the cold months of conden sation built up in the house and the occupants did not feel well The report says it was discovered that the chimneys were blocked with concrete They had to be removed and rebuilt Mr Kermack who is a technical engineer was the first to discover the blocked chimney It was ironic that all of the holes in the windows and roof saved our lives Continued on Page mm Retts Korner SeePage news See Page United folds