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Narrow trustee vote passes public school board budget By KATHY YANCHUS Oakville Beaver Staff [A he 1994 Halton Board of lv Education‘s operating budâ€" ... get of $282,723,980 passed Thursday night by a slim margin with only minor changes, despite last ditch attempts by trustees to amend the figure. Trustees voted 10â€"8 in favor of passing the much debated docuâ€" ment, which was "unfinished" as far as Finance Committee chair Penny Siebert was concerned. "It is with considerable discomâ€" fort that I bring forward this budget because it seems unfinished," said Siebert. The finance committee chair said that instead of instilling in her a sense of pride and satisfaction, the budget, as it was, filled her with worry about the reduced grants and equalization of large urban public boards, and fear because of the lack of government understanding of how the system works. Siebert said she is "convinced" that had the board had the grant information â€" which amounted to a decrease of 11% or $6.875 million over last year â€" in time, it could have reached its target of 0% mill rate increase. As it stands, the 1.34% mill rate increase means taxpayers will pay an additional $17.49 on their tax bill. Minor alterations to the budget included a $28,000 addition for the Bronte Creek outdoor education program bringing the total funding to 66%, up from the initial 50% voted on during Monday‘s finance committee meeting. This would alleviate the "significant impact to the students" while they prepare to transform the program into a user pay one next year, said Burlington Trustee Linda Glover. Secondary school students will also be carrying home their report TINTING From 530 Per Winpow Scratch Resistant â€" All Shades CALL FOR APPOINTMENT 844â€"5556 cards instead of the school mailing them home for a savings of $15,000 this budget year. Amendments to reduce in the areas of restructuring, transportation department overtime, temporary help and instructional assistants, were discarded. Ward 2 trustee Reid said the board should be working harder to find longterm solutions while Ward 5‘s Marklew said she could not supâ€" port the budget because "we are forcing our senior citizens from their homes." Voting against the budget were Oakville trustees Lynne Clark, John Scheel, Cheryl Reid, Debbie Marklew and Linda Lane and Burlington trustees Diane Leblovic, Anne Barbu and Lynda Schreiber. Marklew said she had to say "no" to a mill rate increase for Oakville. One other amendment which passed was an invitation to Education Minister Dave Cooke to come to Halton and debate such items as Junior Kindergarten and regional assessment equalization. @ OPEN MOTHER‘S DAY FOR DINNER! @ Reservations please 2330 Lakeshore Rd. West, Bronte (905) 825â€"2113 _ Veal Lombata c Veal Saltimbocea con Pomodoro Allegros nistorante Griglia Pollo Limone Pollfo Porcini _ Linguini Pescatore _ Penne Primavera Olo Tortellini con Prosciutto Fettucini Alfredo con Fungi Fettucini Julienne To Celebrate Spring "All of Our Entrees are Half Price. 7.00 Pollo Pippata 8.00 Veal Marsala 800 Veal Parmigiana Cappellini Napoh Linguini Napolitana Penne con Gorgonzola Cappellini Tutti Colori Tortellini Almotrachana Offer good Mon.â€"Thurs. only. Not valid with any other offers. Minimum $10 per seat. Offer expires June 15/94 ,” 5.00 5.50