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w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER W e dn es da y, O ct ob er 1 3, 2 01 0 1 2 Jeff Gareau Gareau, a self-employed financial advisor, said he is running for office because he cares about the community he and his family live in and because he believes the current coun- cil is not managing taxpayer money properly. Gareau said he wants to see more bal- anced taxation in Oakville noting the current ratio of 88 per cent residential compared to 12 per cent commercial is out of alignment. Oakville is too reliant on increasing its residential property taxes to pay its bills, said Gareau. This has to change. He said the Towns total debt is getting out of hand as it is currently sitting at around $74 million with Town staff forecasting an 8.1 per cent property tax increase for the 2011 Town budget. This is unacceptable for the future of Oakville, said Gareau. With the economy barely recovering and higher interest rates anticipated, we have to get in touch with reality and be fiscally responsible. We can no longer dip into reserves and sell town assets such as Oakville Hydro to maintain our quality of life. Gareau also speaks about the need to have affordable and accessible services and facili- ties available within Ward 4. In discussing this facilities issue, Gareau criticized the Town for removing the West Oak Trails Skateboard Park, proposing to move it north of Dundas Street, then chang- ing its minds and then never re-establishing a permanent location for it. A former director for the Oakville Chamber of Commerce, Gareau also said that if elected he would work hard to improve the business climate in Oakville. He said currently the rhetoric coming from council, along with high taxation and bureaucratic red tape, is driving business away. Gareau said more jobs in Oakville are necessary to cut commuting and the air pol- lution this commuting creates. Over the last 10 years Gareau said he has worked with a variety of community organi- zations serving as director of the Oakville Unit Council, Chair of Media Relations and Community Development for Rick Hansen Wheels in Motion, president of MADD Halton/Peel Region, director of the Oakville Minor League Baseball Association and more. Gareau also received Oakvilles Community Spirit Award for Individual Volunteer of the year in 2005. Gareau has lived in Ward 4 for more than 10 years. He is married with children. Bhupinder Singh Sandhawalia Sandhawalia, a retired business adminis- trator and ex-Indian Air Force officer, said he is running for office because he feels he has something to offer the community. My aim is to be in touch with Ward 4 res- idents on a regular basis so I can learn all their problems and issues, said Sandhawalia. My aim is to bring fresh ideas from any- one in Oakville, who may not be a part of any group, but who can give us something new, to council. Sandhawalia has listed a number of goals, which he will strive for if elected. These goals include lowering property taxes by cutting wasteful spending in every department of the Town and Regional coun- cils, providing relief for seniors by increasing the property tax rebate to $600 and offering free off-peak transit service to seniors and infant carrying parents. He would find ways to pay for the $200 million hospital contribution that do not involve raising property taxes. He would help homeowners learn the value of their properties by creating a free professional advisory service consisting of volunteer lawyers, accountants and realtors. He also spoke about the importance of industry. The city is not doing enough to bring industry into the town, said Sandhawalia. We have unemployed people, the econo- my is not too good and homelessness is on the rise so I would like to do something to expand or invite industry to Oakville. Other priorities listed by Sandhawalia included reviving Neighbourhood Watch, easing traffic congestion on the QEW and on Upper Middle Road and Dundas Street and reducing pollution, particularly pollution coming from vehicles. He also said he would work hard to decrease the wait times for hospital surgeries and close the performance ranking gap that exists between high schools and elementary schools. Sandhawalia has lived in Ward 4 for seven years and has been an avid volunteer in the field of multicultural relations for 40 years. Some of this volunteer experience includes serving as director to various com- mittees on the National Capital Alliance for Race Relations. The Ottawa-based, non-governmental organization strives to advance harmonious race relations. Ward 4 regional challengers say time for a change Jeff Gareau Bhupinder Singh Sandhawalia Continued from page 11