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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, A ug us t 6, 20 20 | 2 Visit atlascare.ca or call 1-833-682-0033 I've always enjoyed watching a summer thunderstorm with my kids - they are as entertaining as any movie! However, for all their majesty, storms also cause power surges that can seriously damage furnaces and air conditioners. Most people don't realize that simply installing a surge protector can prevent major damage. As we saw this past weekend, a powerful storm can also back-up the drains that connect a home's plumbing system to the municipal system. This can be a very expensive problem that could be prevented by having a drain inspection done that will identify blockages or other problems before they happen. I encourage you to explore these preventive measures that can save a lot of time, money and headaches. Stay safe, Michael Grochmal, President Storms can affect your HVAC and drains per cent property tax in- crease for Oakville resi- dents, assuming a 2 per cent increase to Halton Region taxes and a 0 per cent hike in education rates. Sully has called the situa- tion 'unprecedented.' Some of the mitigation measures town staff have proposed so far include looking for efficiencies with- in their programs and only conducting infrastructure renewal in 2021 if absolutely necessary. The committee also voted to eliminate the 2021 Capital Levy, which is expected to save the town around $2.1 million, and voted to in- crease user fees by inflation. "In these unprecedented times it is expected that the Town of Oakville as well as the entire country would have budget gaps," said Nav Nanda, president of the North Oakville Ward 7 Resi- dents' Association. "We hope all levels of gov- ernment can come together to support one another so that the impact on residents is minimal." Nanda said she wants the Town to avoid using a tax in- crease to bridge the budget gap. She said the pandemic has been hard on residents and argued the money should come from other sources. The residents' associa- tion president is also hope- ful assistance from the fed- eral and provincial govern- ments is forthcoming. By contrast, Ted Haugen, president of the West River Residents' Association, who emphasized his comments are his own and do not re- flect the opinion of the resi- dents' association board, said that in these exception- al times a short-term plan of higher taxes for the next year or two is the solution to closing the budget gap. "Taxes are the price we pay to live in a place like Oakville. Whether we like it or not, the pandemic is bound to lead to higher tax- es," said Haugen. That said, Haugen also welcomed many of the miti- gation options being consid- ered by the town. "The Town seems always to be looking at ways to get savings but there are always more - this would help some," he said. "Certainly, asking for as- sistance from the federal and provincial partners is vital, although that will put more pressures on their budgets and services which we'll ultimately pay for. I'd also support an inflationary increase on town user fees, except for children's and se- nior's recreational pro- grams. Low priority infra- structure projects could be delayed for coming years." Haugen advised against any cuts that would affect the social safety net. Carolyn McMinn, presi- dent of the Trafalgar Chart- well Residents' Association, said the group is confident town council and staff are following a rigorous budget- ing process and are on top of the problem. "We look forward to en- gaging with council and staff as difficult decisions have to be made," she said. Area resident Shahab Khan said the Town should carry the deficit, for years if necessary. He said developer fees from builders could be used to help pay down the short- fall and noted the new devel- opment taking place in Oak- ville will bring in additional property taxes that can be used to tackle the budget gap. Khan was against the raising of taxes, adding a levy to real estate transac- tions or increasing user fees, camp fees or other recre- ational fees beyond infla- tion. Oakville resident Oliver Gleeson called on the town to explore other municipal best practices to see what in- novative things other towns are doing to eliminate their shortfalls. He said he is against a drastic tax in- crease but noted some level of tax increase would be fine provided there was some other tangible benefit given to the community to make the increase more palatable. It should be noted that provincial rules currently bar municipalities in Onta- rio from running deficits. In a recent statement Oakville Mayor Rob Burton said the budget situation is under control. "I know how to handle this kind of problem and I have done it before," he said. "People don't remember the Great Recession of 2008- 2009 how we steered our- selves through that without a crisis unfolding. People can count on me and council to continue to deliver a smooth ride." Another budget meeting will be held on Sept. 15 where the 2021 Budget Committee will receive an updated pre- sentation on the budget situ- ation facing the town. A council vote to approve the 2021 Budget is not sched- uled to take place until Dec. 21. STORY BEHIND THE STORY: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a significant shortfall being projected for the Town of Oakville's 2021 budget, and residents should be aware that this may mean a larger than usual property tax increase if not addressed. NEWS Continued from page 1 DEVELOPMENT FEES COULD HELP BRIDGE GAP: RESIDENT