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w w w .i n si d eH A LT O N .c o m O A K V IL LE B EA V ER Fr id ay , S ep te m be r 2, 2 01 1 4 By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudaks promise to curb provincial spend- ing could have ramifications for property taxpayers in Halton. According the Halton Regional officials, regional property taxpayers could stand to lose $15.9 million in savings per year. The current Liberal government has vowed take on $1.5 billion in provincial public services costs from municipalities by 2018. Recent reports say the staggered pro- gram, which began in 2007, has reached the $1 billion mark with another $500 million to go. While Premier Dalton McGuinty has vowed to continue the uploading, this could change under a PC government. When Christine Elliott, Progressive Conservative MPP for Whitby-Oshawa, came to Oakville last week to introduce a new McGuinty wheel of tax, she answered the Beavers questions over the uploading issue. We have already committed we would continue with the $1 billion of uploading that has already taken place, she said. But were not able to commit to continuing at the same schedule that the Liberals have set out for uploading because we simply dont know, at this point, how bad the provincial finances are. We believe in being fiscally responsible. We would need to study that to understand how exactly we would be able to proceed. According to Halton Region, the upload- ing has already saved the region $40.2 mil- lion to date, which includes savings from GTA Pooling, Ontario Disability Support Program, Ontario Works and court securi- ty. If the uploading continues as scheduled under the current Liberal government, the region would save an additional $15.9 mil- lion per year, said Jane MacCaskill, commis- sioner of corporate services and regional treasurer. If they stop the uploading, then we will not achieve those $15.9 million in savings over the six years that is scheduled, she said. Costs that have previously been down- loaded onto municipalities are now being removed from the municipal tax burden. This would also have an effect on Oakvilles budget. According to Nancy Sully, deputy trea- surer and director of financial planning for Town of Oakville, the region is absorbing half the savings and the other half is being divided for capital projects in each of the regions municipalities. Each year were adding an increase, Sully said. Its a little under one per cent on our tax levy that have been going on each year where were actually taking the tax room from the region and were levying for it now. Its a funding source for our capital budget infrastructure renewal. She said having the region pay for the some of the Towns costs means that the Towns budget is being reduced slightly, while the regions budget is going up slight- ly, balancing out for the taxpayer. If (the uploading) is discontinued and they keep it at where its at now, well lose that additional amount that we would start levying for our capital budget, Sully said. Hudak said he would leave it as is and he wouldnt continue it. What it will mean for Oakville is well lose the next couple of years of that tax room. It will affect us with our capital budget. Municipalities and the region were counting on that continuing because we need that money for our own infrastruc- ture. d f l d ld $En o up oa ing cou cost region 15.9M a year Oakville Literacy Council volunteers will greet morning commuters at Oakville GO station on Thursday, Sept. 8 to remind them of the importance of literacy. Sept. 8 was proclaimed International Literacy Day by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) in 1965. Each year, UNESCO reminds the international community of the global status of literacy and adult learning. They report that 796 million (one in six) adults worldwide lack minimum literacy skills, and that 67.4 million children are out- of-school, with many more attending irreg- ularly. In Canada, four in ten adults struggle with literacy. In Oakville, nearly 6 per cent of adults between the ages of 25 and 64 have not completed high school. This represents more than 5,000 people in our local work- force. The Oakville Literacy Council is a chari- table organization helping local adults reach their full potential by providing free, person- alized tutoring in reading, writing, and math. To support the Councils learning pro- gram, commuters may purchase gently used books and donate spare change. Learn more about International Literacy Day at www.unesco.org. The Oakville Literacy Council can be reached at 905 469 8528 or visit www.oakvilleliteracy.ca Morning communters will be asked to support International Literacy Day 5-8PMTUESDAYS,WEDNESDAYS&THURSDAYS WE ARE IN OUR 6TH SEASON & OFFER 5 STUDIO SPACES TO ACCOMMODATE OUR STUDENTS.