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A8 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday December 17, 2003 Peter C. McCusker · Oala ille Beaver O .P .I Stocking Stuffers. UP FOR GRABS: O akville Artist Robert Boast-Cornish and Nancy M cKen, Branch Manager of the C IB C , 197 Lakeshore Rd. E., hold the painting he has donated for a raffle draw at the branch to benefit the O akville United Way. The artist will also be presenting a Christmas A rt Show at the C IB C downtown Oakv ille branch from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The winner of the raffle will be announced during his art show. Esthetic Services for appointm ents booked on Tuesdays only! AH . Oakville MPP wants development charges changed to pay for more soft services By Angela Blackburn O. VKVILli-: BEAVER STAFF Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn is pushing his government to review the rules on development chaises in order to get more local hockey rinks, parks and libraries. " It was a big election issue," said Flynn from Queen's Park Monday. Last Thursday. Flynn chal lenged Municipal Affairs Minister John Gerretsen during Question Period to review the Development Charges Act. "Communities suffer or proper ty taxes rise when ill-conceived leg islation such as passed by the Tories is forced upon local and regional councils," said Flynn. The new MPP said the com ments he made in the House weren't a "soft ball" the Liberals have been accused of lobbing at their own ministers lately, and did n't come from the pen of a Liberal staffer. Flynn said he formulated his question about revamping the Development Charges Act with input from Halton Region and the Town of Oakville -- since local government has long been seeking change there. Development charges, whose predecessors were lot levies, came into being in the 1980s under David Peterson's Liberal government. "There's been a recognition now for a long time that new growth should pay its own way," said Flynn. Development charges are paid by developers to municipalities to cover the services attached to growth. Over time. Flynn said exactly what is paid for by develop ment charges has changed with sev eral key items removed from the equation. "As a result of changes such as the reduction of soft services and the exclusion of capital cost cate gories, many of our community facilities such as libraries, hockey rinks and transit buses arc no longer covered by development charge funds," Flynn told the House. The M PP called for the rein statement of full funding for public transit and facilities -- and that development charges be expanded to include parkland, hospitals, and waste management services. To further complicate mattere. municipalities also "get into bid ding wars to lower industrial/com mercial development charges fur ther" to attract business growth. That has been done in Oakville where the long-term gain of new industrial/commercial taxes has often been favoured over a higher up front development charge. There are, however, no dis counts for residential development. Development charges for residen tial growth pay for capital costs like roads, water, waste water services and public transit, but demands for community services are expected to be met by the Town. Flynn said he'd like to see a review of the existing Development Charges Act begin next spring. Flynn said he's also looking at whether the new rules could prohib it the practice of discounting devel opment charges. " You can't use property taxes in a competitive manner." said Flynn. The MPP said that during his time in local and regional govern ment. he saw studies done and then deals cut. "The deals, for the most part have been to the detriment of existing ratepayers and existing businesses," said Flynn. 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