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À />vX H . 1 # I M IJ 6 i § il Ra Bn n w B Ha II I 1 | If 1 If I 1 I rj I I 1 r M " fj 8 d 1 Durham Regional Council will have to take off the white gloves when it begins assessing this year's regional budget. Regional Chairman Jim Witty told The Clarington Independent, the cuts in provincial government funding announced on Friday, Dec. 29, are going to hit Durham hard. The regional municipality has learned that the provincial cutbacks will be about one million dollars more than expected. "Originally, we were hit with a $7 million decrease. Now we're looking at an $8 million decrease. Region Loses $1 Million More Than Expected That's a million more than what we had anticipated," Witty said. As far as he is concerned, this budget could be the one that ends three years in which the Durham Region was able to avoid a tax increase. increase. "Now, nothing will be sacred. We may be forced to take, a look at a tax increase," he predicted. If that happens, "I don't think we'll be. popular," the Regional Chairman added. He stressed that a tax increase would be a reluctant choice among the politicians. He would rather sec user fees than an increase in taxes. However, However, he recognizes the Durham Region Region has a limited number of opportunities opportunities to charge such fees. One of the areas where the region region could set a user fee would be garbage collection. Another possibility is that the province would assume administering administering welfare, Witty said. However, until something like that happens provincially, the regional regional council will be desperately seeking ways to reduce its budget and ensure it can handle the reduced reduced income. The Municipality of Clarington is also facing a bigger-than- expectcd cutback in provincial funding this year. Clarington will lose almost one million dollars worth of provincial funding. And that news has prompted prompted one regional councillor to predict predict a 10 per cent increase in the Clarington lax bill this year. The Prosperity Package Nokia 2120 or Motorola TDMA Ultra Plus Digital Portable • 36 months of unlimited à evenings/weekends Mm • 30 FREE peak minutes per month % • 500 per minute • $60 Activation Included * O.A.C. $^Q95 All this for only **9 /month On a Source Advantage Lease NORCOM CELLULAR Bell Mobility Centre 595 King St. East, Oshawa (905)432-0088 NORCOM CELLULAR 50 Taunton Rd. E. Oshawa, (905) 438-0088 NORCOM CELLULAR Bell Mobility Centre Oshawa Centre (905) 571-0088 NORCOM CELLULAR 8 Strathy Road, Unit #2 Cobourg (905) 373-4475 Bell Mobility FoundaM Ml SÉê !Q tirade Mi ÙÊQ To Camp Samac Fund by Laura: J. Richards The 215-acre green space in north Oshawa known as Camp Samac Samac has received a donation from the company that helped to start a multitude of Scouting memories. General Motors of Canada President President and General Manager, Maureen Maureen Kempston Darkes, presented a donation of $100,000 to the camp on Wednesday afternoon. Hon. Michael Michael Starr, the Honorary Chair of The Camp Samac Foundation, accepted accepted the contribution. The cheque in the form of a black and white, cut-out photo of a McLaughlin car with Sam McLaughlin driving it was handed over by Kempston Darkes to Starr and two Oshawa Cub Pack members. members. The ceremony took place at Camp Samac. Kempston Darkes told foundation foundation members, Scouts, Cubs, Beavers, Beavers, and many interested people that she never knew General Motors Motors of Canada founder, Sam. McLaughlin. However, she said she could "feel his presence in the office building," especially when she walked by his office, with the large wooden desk. Not only was he an impressive individual, but he lived by the company company motto: "One Grade Only and That the Best." Kempston Darkes noted McLaughlin "had the vision to create a number of wonderful facilities" facilities" one of which is Camp Samac for Scouts. "Col. McLaughlin was correct in imagining how much use would be made of this property and the buildings buildings and structures he helped to finance." finance." She told The Clarington Independent Independent afterwards, "We, GM, wanted to be a part of this project. It is an honor to be a part of preserving preserving something he originally created." Starr said the $100,000 will go a long way in helping to preserve and renovate the camping facilities and buildings on the site. He told those gathered the GM donation brings the fund-raising effort effort to almost $500,000. The target is $800,000. For the past 50 years, many in the Scouting movement have flocked to Camp Samac for summer summer and winter camping experiences. experiences. Fred Ball, one of the Camp Samac Samac fund-raisers, estimates about 50,000 people access the park each year "either by strolling through or going on a nature hike." He noted that 15,000 to 20,000 people use the pool from late June to the end Turn to page two GM CHEQUES IN - General Motors of Canada Ltd. has donated $100,000 towards a fund which will refurbish Camp Samac, in North Oshawa, The donation was announced on Wednesday, January 3rd. Maureen Kempston Darkes, President and General Manager of General Motors of Canada, presented presented GM's contribution to Hon. Michael Starr, Honorary Chair of the Camp Samac Foundation. Also shown in the photo is Remi McCann, an Oshawa Cub. The cheque is in the form of a large photograph of Col. Sam McLaughlin driving a McLaughlin Buick. It recognizes the fact that Col. McLaughlin, the founder of General Motors of Canada, originally purchased the site of Camp Samac Samac and donated it to Scouts Canada. 0 pC*fen& A & P Canadian Tire* Durham Farmers County Co-op' Graham's IGA* Miracle Food Mart ("indicates partial distribution) For information about-inserting flyers in The Independent, please contact our office at 623-3303 * A fund for a Clarington man who lost his wile and daughter in a December 12 house fire has now topped $10,000. The collection has been set up by neighbors of the Perry family, whose two-storey home at 6108 Darlington Manvcrs Townline burned to the ground just 12 days before Christmas. The blaze claimed two victims: Doris Perry, a retired school teacher teacher and daughter Kimberlic, a first year student at Durham College. Money collected will help Robert Robert Perry build a new home for himself, himself, says Chris Emcdi, a neighbor organizing the drive. "We hope by spring to have another another $35,000 to $40,000." Chris, his brother, Vladimir, and father, Moses, live across the road from die Perry property. "We were good neighbors," Chris says. And the way lie secs it, good neighbors help each other in times of need. "We can't bring his wile or daughter back, but at least we can Turn to page two