www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday September 20, 2006 - 5 Resident takes another run at Regional Chair's post By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Oakville resident Brian Burton is again running for Halton Regional Chair in the November municipal election. Now that Joyce Savoline is stepping aside, Burton filed his nomination papers last week and is hopping to improve upon his second place finish in 2003. Though he has never been elected to political office before, Burton believes he has the business background and commitment to do the job. Taxes are his big issue. Burton has lived in Oakville since 1988 and it was opposition to north Oakville growth that galvanized him to become active in municipal politics in recent years. Burton has since been a member of several committees involved with expansion of services and growth issues, particularly on the MidHalton Sewage treatment plant expansion, Halton biosolids and North Oakville Secondary Plan (NOSP). Burton is also president of the Oakville Conservative Party Federal Electoral District Association and has campaigned for both provincial and federal candidates in Oakville and Halton in recent elections. Burton has also made numerous Brian Burton presentations to regional council committees on development charges and regional capital budgets. In 2003, Burton ran for the regional chair's position and finished second. Now, with Savoline stepping aside, Burton believes he can provide leadership to the Region. Burton indicates his business experience means he is familiar with organizational leadership, cost control, budgets and capital projects. Burton's campaign platform is to make growth work for Halton. "We have to protect the character of our communities and implement our growth plan, with its emphasis on maintaining the environment, while responding to the growth targets that have been man- dated by our Provincial Government," he said. The candidate also wants to reform Halton's development cost structure. "We can lower our tax increases by shifting the development charges from residents to developers. We should cover all the growth costs allowed by the Ontario Municipal Act and not just the current structure, which is only 78 per cent of budgeted costs, with residents paying the rest," he said. Burton also believes there's a need to re-design the Region's capital projects to bring them back on budget. "Let's look very carefully at the proposed regional campus. Do we really need to spend $100 million to build a super-sized complex to replace the regional office? We need to seek public input into this expansion of Regional overhead costs," he said. Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn's recent decision not to run for the regional chair's position had some influence over his own, admitted Burton. "I like Kevin's stand on the Ontario Realty Lands in Halton and fixed term provincial elections and so I felt Kevin was a candidate I could get behind and support if I decided not to run," he said. Burton and his wife Diane have two daughters who attend the University of Toronto. The couple is also active in Oakvillegreen Conservation Association Inc. "I have been a supporter of Oakvillegreen since its early years because of its opposition to Oakville's original Official Plan Amendment 198. As Oakvillegreen is still one of the primary driving forces behind getting the plan amended to include the Natural Heritage System, I will continue to be a supporter until such time as the North Oakville Secondary plan is finalized," said Burton. A fundraiser with the Canadian Cancer Society Oakville Chapter's Daffodil fundraising drive, Burton is a professional engineer whose work history includes being Far East Manager for Johnson Controls in Hong Kong; Vice-President of ABB, Medium Voltage Division in Montreal and Toronto; VicePresident of ShawCor, Electric Products Division and Head of Research and Development in Toronto; owner of Burton/Northern, Manufacturing consultant working in Finland, Mexico and Waterloo. Upon selling his company three years ago, he retired. Also running for Halton Regional Chair are former Conservative Oakville MPP and Liberal Halton MP Gary Carr and Burlington resident Robert Plaschka. Pupatello at Flynn $200-a-plate fundraiser Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Trade and Minister Responsible for Women's Issues Sandra Pupatello is guest speaker at Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn's fundraising dinner. This event takes place at the International Union of Operating Engineers, local 793, 2245 Speers Rd. beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $200 and limited seating is available. For more information, please contact Debbie McGill at 905-505-6304. Pupatello will highlight the McGuinty government's education, jobs and prosperity agenda. Pupatello was sworn in as the Minister of Economic Development and Trade on Monday and remains the Minister Responsible for Women's Issues. Prior to that, she served as Minister of Education as well as Minister of Community and Social Services. 2006 CADILLAC SRX 2006 PONTIAC G6 GT COUPE Radiant. 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