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4 - Orono Weekly Times 1937 - 2012 · Celebrating 75 Years Wednesday, April 4, 2012 BUDGET Continued from pg 2 Auditor General of Canada and $320 million from international development aid. How skewed are these priorities? Take a look at what the government is not cutting: polls, advertising, bigger jails and stealth fighters. Canadians should be asking Stephen Harper and Bev Oda how they can justify such a small-minded Canada. Yours sincerely, Bob Rae, Interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada From The House At The Centre Of The Universe R.I.P . Penny by: Tracy Tonkinson The Penny is dead, get ready for the roll up. Not the Tim's style roll up that has us tipping coffee dregs over others in order to see which big prize we didn't win again this time, but the roll up of prices to remove the anomaly of the odd penny at the end of our grocery bill that the government says will save Canadians $11 million. But will it truly be a win for the Canadian public? While it is undoubtedly true that making the penny costs more than it is worth and that the penny often becomes that unwanted nuisance on the kitchen counter or bedside table, for which there is no discernable use, it is also true that there will be both a Tim's style roll up and a Wal-Mart style roll back of prices for everything. In government-speak this mechanism is called `rounding'. The idea is that any cash amount that ends with a one, two, six, or seven will be rounded down to 0 or 5; anything that ends in three, four, eight or nine will be rounded up. So, if my math challenged brain has this right that means that when I buy something for $1.01 or $1.02 it will be rounded down to $1.00. And anything I buy for $1.06 or $1.07 will cost me $1.05. But, anything I buy between $1.03 and $1.04 is rounded up to $1.05 and stuff I purchase for $1.08 and $1.09 will cost me $1.10. Are we confused yet? To put it in its simplest form if you have a shopping basket with eight items in it ranging in price from $1.01 to $1.09 the current total comes to $8.40. Once the rounding has been done the same eight items should still cost $8.40. Apparently all this rounding will have to be done after the taxes have been added. The claim is that there is effectively no tax hike, and the government further claims that there will be little or no inflationary effect on our pocket books. I guess time will tell and the key statement from the 2012 Federal budget on rounding that reads: "The government expects that businesses will apply rounding for cash transactions in a fair and transparent manner," puts the onus on the business community to ensure they don't mess this up. For someone like me, who has the numerical equivalent of dyslexia, trying to make sure the rounding has been done transparently and fairly will be nearly impossible. Even more confusingly the rounding only applies to cash transactions, so if I pay with cheques, credit or debit cards or through electronic transactions I will still be paying to the cent. What will the government do with the $11 million a year it will save by killing the penny? Well, for those who will now have to work until they are 67 years old before they can retire, maybe the government should top up the Canada Pension Plan with it. As for the rest of us, what do we do with those poor unwanted pennies between now and when it finally gets a decent burial? I keep mine in a jar until there are enough to dump into a Coinstar machine at my local grocery store. The process is a little like feeding a slot machine, pennies in cash out, because in spite of the fee Coinstar charges, I still get a receipt for my pennies that I can either use against my grocery bill or cash in at the check out for money that I can keep or give away. That feels like a win win for me. Even so I will miss my copper coloured friend and I wish it a decent send off, it has served me well over the years. R.I.P Penny. ORONO WEEKLY TIMES LOCAL NEWS LOCAL EVENTS LOCAL SPORTS Keeping you in touch with everything local since 1937! 905-983-5301 Clarington Museums and Archives Antique appraisals and bargin books at the museum In celebration of Archives Awareness Week, Clarington Museums and Archives is pleased to present our annual Antique Appraisal as a part of the Chat Room Series hosted in the one room Schoolhouse at the Clarke Museum. In this new use of an old space, we invite the public to bring their treasures to be appraised by our experts. Monetary appraisals as well as advice on how to best care for your treasures will be available. The Grand Opening of the Clarington Museums Book Sale, a fundraiser for our Preserve Kirby Church Campaign will be taking place just across the road. Visit the Kirby Church and get some amazing deals to stock up on your summer reading while supporting your local museum. Our Antique Appraisal is on Saturday, April 14 from 11:00 AM ­ 2:00 PM at the Clarke Museum just east of Highway 35/115 at the Kirby exit. Each visitor may bring in up to 3 items for appraisal and the cost is by donation. Light refreshments will also be served. The Book Sale is open at the Kirby Church on the west side of Highway 35/115 from 10 AM ­ 3 PM. For more information contact the museum at 905-623-2734 or www.claringtonmuseums.com Do you think you have a drinking problem? We can help! ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS www.aaoshawa.org 905-728-1020