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OAKVILLE BEAVER Saturday, April 18, 2009 · 6 The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571 Classified Advertising: 905-632-4440 Circulation: 845-9742 The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate.The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Commentary NEIL OLIVER Vice-president and Group Publisher, Metroland West DAVID HARVEY General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Metroland Media Group Ltd. includes: Ajax/Pickering News Advertiser, Alliston Herald/Courier, Arthur Enterprise News, Barrie Advance, Caledon Enterprise, Brampton Guardian, Burlington Post, Burlington Shopping News, City Parent, Collingwood/Wasaga Connection, East York Mirror, Erin Advocate/Country Routes, Etobicoke Guardian, Flamborough Review, Georgetown Independent/Acton Free Press, Harriston Review, Huronia Business Times, Lindsay This Week, Markham Economist & Sun, Midland/Penetanguishine Mirror, Milton SANDY PARE Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution SARAH MCSWEENEY Circ. Manager WEBSITE oakvillebeaver.com Canadian Champion, Milton Shopping News, Mississauga Business Times, Mississauga News, Napanee Guide, Newmarket/Aurora EraBanner, Northumberland News, North York Mirror, Oakville Beaver, Oakville Shopping News, Oldtimers Hockey News, Orillia Today, Oshawa/Whitby/Clarington Port Perry This Week, Owen Sound Tribune, Palmerston Observer, Peterborough This Week, Picton County Guide, Richmond Hill/Thornhill/Vaughan Liberal, Scarborough Mirror, Stouffville/Uxbridge Tribune, Forever Young, City of York Guardian Guest Columnist Halton Region likes tax freeze for 2010 Gary Carr, Halton Region Chair n April 1, Regional Council passed a motion regarding the implementation of a tax freeze for Gary Carr the 2010 Regional tax budget. I have received an overwhelming number of e-mails from residents on this issue. Thank you for your input, it is always welcome. With recovery from the recession not anticipated until 2010, taxpayers in Halton are experiencing significant financial pressure and Council recognizes appropriate action needs to be taken. With my motion passed, Halton's CAO and staff will begin work to bring forward the 2010 Budget Directions Report in May. The report will detail how a Regional tax freeze in 2010 could be achieved, ensuring financial relief in a time when it is needed most. Maintaining Halton's level of services and breadth of programs while alleviating the burden from the shoulders of our taxpayers has always been one of Council's main priorities. This was demonstrated in 2007 when property tax increased 0.9 per cent and in 2008 with a property tax reduction of 0.6 per cent. In 2009, Council and staff worked hard to deliver a budget that balanced the needs of the community with fiscal responsibility, raising regional property taxes by 1.7 per cent. I am proud to say that over the past three years, Halton Region has consistently had one of the lowest tax increases for regional programs and services in the Province of Ontario. From 2007-2009, the combined average tax increase is 0.6 per cent. This three-year average is one of the lowest tax increases province wide. With these low tax increases, Council has continued to implement significant achievements in the programs and services it offers, including: · Enhanced waste diversion programs such as weekly Blue Box and GreenCart collection, and Take It Back! Halton, which have helped to divert 60 per cent of waste away from the landfill. · The introduction of Halton's Air Quality program in 2008 -- a first among Canadian municipalities · The Landfill Gas Capture Project, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions · The addition of 10 paramedics to Halton EMS over the last two years · An increase in the amount invested in our roads program from an approved budget of $53 million in 2004 to a budget of $96 million in 2008. What do you think about a Regional tax freeze for 2010? Please send me an email at gary.carr@halton.ca. O RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY: Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: United Way of Oakville TV AUCTION Singing for supper DEREK WOOLLAM / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER FOOD FOR LIFE: Glen Abbey United Church recently held its ninth annual dinner, dance and auction. This year's event had a Sound of Music theme and raised $5,000 for Food for Life Canada, a food recovery program, which collects surplus perishable food from grocery stores and restaurants and delivers the food to more than 40 organizations and 21 outreach programs in low-income neighborhoods in Oakville, Burlington and Acton. Miley shoots for the moon while he hopes for shot at obscurity I 'm not jealous. I'm not. I'm really not. Recently I've been slogging away at a novel that, given the moribund state of the publishing industry, is doubtlessly destined to (a) be rejected by every major publishing house in North America, eventually falling into the hands of some small, indiscriminate publisher -- Obscurity Press, or (b) be stocked only in claustrophobic, dusty, independent bookstores haphazardly mismanaged by holdover hippies and their cats. Conversely: teen queen Miley Cyrus (a.k.a. Hannah Montana) recently unveiled her first book -- the adorably titled Miles To Go, a memoir, no less -- to a throng of wildly supportive and vocal fans at a bookstore in New York. Oh, and the tome promptly shot to the top of The New York Times' bestseller list for books for kids. Like it had rocket boosters strapped to its bindings. I'm not jealous. I'm not. I'm really not. Furthermore, contrary to what you might imagine, I did not take solace, or even a slim measure of perverse pleasure, when critics condemned the book for being irreparably inane -- apparently platitudes and praise for Jesus and Daddy (Billy Ray, the Achy Breaky Heart guy) odiously abound throughout the book. No, when critics were quick to crucify not only the book, its loud launch and its author, but also what the author was wearing at that launch (ouch!), I remained standing on the high ground occupied by serious writers (and by `serious', I mean writers destined to sell fewer copies in a lifetime than the Mileys of the world sell in a New York minute). I'm not jealous. I'm not. I'm really not. Andy Juniper Which is why I did not laugh or even so much as giggle when British comedian Russell Brand, upon hearing of Miley's memoir, wryly commented: "A memoir? She's only been alive for a half an hour. What's she going to say, the womb was warm?" Ah, but maybe Russell is just jealous because Miley's memoir is outselling his (My Booky Wook) by about a million-to-one. And maybe Russell is blind to the personal experience, insight and advice the 16-year-old Miley can offer the world. Seriously, when I was 16, I was a font of worldliness. I mean, I could easily have offered a willing publisher doughy (and appropriately cheesy) chapters on topics as diverse as pizza, high school football, detentions, homework, pimples, rock music, television, and, ah, did I mention pizza? My expertise, like my modesty, knew no boundaries. I know, I know, I'm starting to sound old and bitter and -- dare I say? -- jealous. But I'm not. I'm not. I'm really not. And why should I be? What does Miley Cyrus have that I don't? Miley's a member of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People In The World. Yeah, well, my wife's uncle used to subscribe to Time magazine. Miley's the star of her own TV show. Yeah, well, I own a TV, and some nights I look out at the stars. Miley has sold more than seven million albums. Yeah, well, I've probably bought more than seven million albums (and none of them by Miley Cyrus). Miley's new movie hauled in $34 million last weekend alone. Yeah, well, Miley Cyrus is a poo-headed baboon. Okay, maybe I'm a tad jealous. And about as juvenile as a 16year-old. Hey, anybody want to buy my memoirs? Andy Juniper can be visited at his Web site, www.strangledeggs.com, or contacted at ajjuniper@gmail.com.