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By DENNIS SMITH Special to the Beaver Halton separate school trustees are in the home stretch with their 1993 operating budget, but they still haven’t reached the finish line. After nearly two hours of dis- cussion Wednesday night, they decided that staff was best- equipped to cut the final $1.6 mil- lion from their budget, which curâ€" rently stands at $115 million. That reduction would balance the Halton Roman Catholic School Board budget, and keep its increase at 2%, matching the pub- lic school board’s budget hike. The increase, would mean an average residential tax hike of $43. Separate board staff asked to cut $1 #67111 Oakville ‘Trustee Gerry O’Halloran said every time a board member suggested taking a straw out, staff said it was required, and the straw was put back in. Smokes worth $16,000 stolen from Bronte store About $16,000 worth of cigarettes were stolen from Bronte Fine Foods early Thursday morn- ing, report the Halton Regional Police. Police said the East Street store was broken into after someone threw a rock through a window at 2:49 am. Jewelry stolen from home Thieves stole a large amount of gold jewelry from a Slater Crescent home last Wednesday. Approximately $3,300 worth of gold chains, a diamond ring, a gold bank, hoop earrings, a man’s wed- ding band and other items were reported stolen. Halton police said the break-in occurred between 3:30 pm. and 9:30 pm. Wednesday, April 7th. Police said the thieves climbed into the house through an upper level, rear bedroom window. Manicure with Specialized Facial Treatment FREE Bikini Wax with a Full Leg Wax (umagemlewmcmunwax) Acrylic or Fiberglasg Nail Extensions Please mm coupon tor dseoum All prices Include tax. Offer expires May 30, 1993 Receive a “Let’s tell staff to go back and bring us a balanced bud- get, bring us a reduction,” he said. “Let them tell us what to cut.” Board chair “9:118 MFCMC)’ GERRY O'HALLORAN sald senior staff could decide what cuts are needed to keep the board in running order, and bring their recommendations at a special meeting next Tuesday. She also suggested trustees call staff before the upcoming meeting if they have any major concerns about cuts. The separate board must submit its budget estimates to the province by April 30th. After a brief discussion, trustees voted in favor of letting staff make the final cuts on the budget One possibility for balancing the budget would be to debenture $1.6 million in 1993 maintenance projects. The argument is that many of these projects have long- term value. The board expects to be carry- ing nearly $5 million in prior debentures for 1993. These usually involve loans taken out for new schools and additions. Treasurer Joe Birett warned trustees that increasing debentures would have a side effects on future budgets. “You’d have to take it out of programs or operating expenses, or raise the mill rate,” he said. , Earlier in the evening, discus- sion centred on a staff list of a, potential budget reduction items, a) and the 1993 list of maintenance and repair projects. ‘UOXI ' ‘Kepun One suggested area of saving i would involve patching the board=l -‘ office roof instead of doing major 9" repairs to it this year. 66L