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By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Seniors get free Monday buses -- if budget passes "Overall, the 1.47 per cent we are looking at here is an inflationary number." Tom Adams, chair 2013 Budget Committee, Oakville Some of the other projects endorsed by the budget committee included a $138,000 request by Oakville Transit to create a new North Service Road East Transit Route 120 in 2013 on a oneyear trial basis. The route would offer rush-hour only service to North Service Road East -- specifically new industrial development including the Siemens and Carttera sites. While it's not known how many jobs these developments will bring to the area, the need for transit service is anticipated. The budget committee also approved a onetime $18,600 cost for signs banning smoking in certain areas of Town parks. Last July, council voted to ban smoking within nine metres of numerous places in public parks where children play. These include playing fields, playgrounds, splash pads, tennis courts, basketball courts, outdoor pools, skateboard parks and any other part of a park where children gather. Another $64,000 will fund the Town's role in the 2013 Canadian Open next July at Glen Abbey Golf Course. Although the Oakville Arts Council (OAC) had asked for an increase of $40,000 for its Cultural Grants Program, which allows the local arts and culture community to cultivate, develop and produce programs for local residents, only $2,000 was approved. "We wish it could be more, but unfortunately we're in very tough fiscal times so understandably it is what it is," said Ward 2 Town and Regional Councillor Cathy Duddeck, as the committee recommended an increase from $98,000 to $100,000. Finally, the committee moved to save $326,000 annually through modifications of Oakville Transit routes 1, 2, 5A, 11, 21, and 24. These modifications would include the cre- 5 · Friday, December 14, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com Free bus service for seniors on Mondays -- at $45,200 annually -- got the green light yesterday (Thursday) during deliberations on the Town of Oakville's 2013 budget. With budget committee discussion wrapped up, the 2013 budget -- and its effects on the local tax bill -- will head to Town council Monday for final approval. Despite moving ahead with the transit service for seniors, and several other projects, the committee chipped away at the initially-proposed 3.67 per cent tax increase and is now forecasting a hike of 3.01 per cent. It's softened to 1.47 per cent after being combined with a 0.8 per cent increase in Halton Region's budget and no hike in education rates. It all means Oakville taxpayers would pay an extra $13.80 per $100,000 of assessment on 2013 property taxes if council gives it a thumbs-up. Under the scenario, the Town would raise $152.3 million from property taxes. "Overall the 1.47 per cent we are looking at here is an inflationary number," said Tom Adams, 2013 budget chair and Ward 6 Town and Regional councillor. "We're doing this while keeping up with our infrastructure demands, not letting things crumble, reducing our tax-paid debt, our debt level will be lower in a year, and maintaining our services." ation of Route 5A -- a new service to the north Oakville community, increased frequency on Route 1 (Trafalgar), a peak service reduction only on Routes 11 (Linbrook) and 21 (Clearview), elimination of late evening service on Route 2 (Lakeshore), and redirection of Route 24 from Upper Middle Road to Trafalgar Road and Dundas Street. While the Town's public delegation meetings were sparsely attended, if at all, Adams said online forums drew large numbers of people who would otherwise not have taken part in the discussion. 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Prom now in question Continued from page 3 TERENCE YOUNG'S MERRY CHRISTMAS FAMILY MOVIE UP TO "For us, it was too late to do something like that with our semi-formal, but it's something we're all sort of hoping to potentially do for prom, if need be," Zilkey said. Abbey Park students have been taking a neutral stance over the teacher and government dispute over Bill 115, which froze teacher wages, cut into benefits and took away teachers' local bargaining rights, according to Zilkey. However, he noted students don't blame the teachers for the loss of their activities. AbbeyParkiswheretheOrganization for Ontario Secondary Students (OOSS) was formed by a handful of students. OOSS has taken a neutral stance over the Bill 115 dispute and it has spread to schools across Halton and even Mississauga, and has organized a number of simultaneous student protests. "We seek to be a completely neutral party," said Dennis Xu, one of the OOSS organizers. 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