The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Efje Canabtan • SINCE 1854 • AMALGAMATED 1999 WITH CLARINGTON THIS WEEK • Pressrun 21.'>00 30 Pages Wednesday, April 4, 2001 Optional 4 week delivery $5/$l newsstand Debut in black Wheels Pull out Winner- take-all Sports, B1 Hospital levy suggested for taxpayers -- , « « . . ... -- . i.i cnn ...:r u« fnr ..vnnncinne Wo siioanutcfl a snecial lew Regional council's financ Plan would raise $70 million in 12 years BY KEITH GILLIGAN Staff Writer Homeowners could be on the hook for the next 12 years to raise money for the two hos pital corporations in Durham Region. During budget deliberations recently, Regional Chairman Roger Anderson proposed a special levy through a one-per cent increase in each of. the next three years, at which point taxpayers would continue continue to pay the third-year level for another nine years. He said the plan would raise $70 million. million. "We have an obligation and I think it's a moral obligation, to make sure health care is provided, provided, no matter what," Mr. Anderson said. Lakcridgc Health Corporation Corporation and Rouge Valley Health System approached Durham last year, seeking $100 million Clarington public elementary teachers to take strike vote But both sides are optimistic a deal can still be reached BY JENNIFER STONE Staff Writer The union governing area public elementary school teachers is "hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst" by holding a strike vote, says the union's local president. Teachers with the Kawartha Pine Ridge Elementary Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) are casting ballots tonight, Wednesday, in Peterborough to determine whether they will give their negotiating team the go-ahead to call a strike, should negotiations negotiations fail to produce an agreement. "It's a matter of hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst," says Gayle Miller, president of the local union, which represents about 1,500 area teachers. "We are still, hopeful, and we are still meeting" with the negotiating team from the local public school board, in an effort to reach a deal, she says. . Likewise, ' the board remains remains "committed" to reaching reaching a deal, says Erin Brown, Port Hope area trustee and a member of the negotiating team. "I think basically, the board negotiating team is optimistic, optimistic, about negotiations. I think we can reach a settlement," settlement," says Ms. Brown. Teachers in local elementary elementary schopls have been working working without a contract since August 31, 2000, and the two sides are currently trying to negotiate a one-year deal. The union is looking for a "fair- wage increase and improve- ACCREDITED TEST & REPAIR FACILITY •An official murk or the Province or Ontario used under licence. Whitby - Oshawa Honda 1110 DUNDAS. ST. E., WHITBY, LOCAL (905) 666-1772 honda| to help pay for expansions. The entire project would cost $409 million, with the Province picking up $216 million. million. The remaining $93 would have to come from community fund-raising. "Everyone knows $100 million million is off the table and it has been off the table for months," said Mr. Anderson. He suggested a special levy for "capital construction only" at the Lakeridge locations and the Ajax site of Rouge Valley. One per cent this year would raise $2.2 million and that works out to between $11 and $15 for the average taxpayer. taxpayer. "I'm asking the taxpayers taxpayers to pay $15 this year," Mr. Anderson stated. PHYLLIS BENEDICT 'We felt better after the first time with the conciliator. ments in their working conditions, conditions, without strips to their current collective agreement," says a media release from the organization. The local public school board is one of only five across the province not to have reached a deal with its elementary teachers, says Ms. Miller. The two sides met last week with the help of a Provincially-appointed conciliator conciliator and further talks are slated for tomorrow, Thursday. Thursday. "We felt better after the first time with the conciliator," conciliator," says Phyllis Benedict, Provincial ETFO president and KPR teacher, noting she felt both sides seemed willing to work at coming up with solutions. solutions. .But money remains an issue, since she says, "the current position the board is proposing would definitely drop (KPR teachers) to close to the bottom" in terms of wages, when compared with other elementary teachers across Ontario. KPR teachers had, through their last collective collective agreement, been close to the middle of the pack, says Ms. Benedict. Inside He Statesman WHERETO FIND IT Editorial Page A6 Sports B1 Classified B6 GIVE US A CALL General 623-3303 Distribution .. .579-4407 Death Notices .683-3005 Sincerely Yours 1-800-662-8423 Web site durhamnews.net judi.bobbitt® durhamnews.net General FAX .. .623-6161 Newsroom FAX .623-6161 Cowan PONTIAC-BUICK GMCTRUCK 166 KING ST. E., BOWMAI 623-3396 WALTER PASSARELLA/ Statesman photo Minor injuries in collision COURTICE - Emergency personnel tend to an unidentified woman Monday after a noon-hour, two-car collision at Hwy. 2 and Courtice Road. Two motorists were taken to Lakeridge Health Oshawa with minor injuries. Charged with making an unsafe turn is Lisa Hewton, 28, of Campbellcroft. A 39-year-old Bowmanville woman was not charged. Regional, council's finance committee received a report from finance commissioner Jim Clapp outlining how Durham would raise money for the hospitals and what impact it would have on taxes. "There aren't a lot of options. options. You either tax.for it or See HOSPITAL page A4 Wanted: Good home for zoo elephants BY JENNIFER STONE Staff Writer BOWMANVILLE - Visitors Visitors and staff at Bowmanville Zoo are being asked to take extra precautions amid a massive massive overseas outbreak of animal animal foot and mouth disease. The zoo is following "general "general protocols" from the Canadian Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums in an effort to ensure ensure the disease, which has not yet been reported in Canada, Canada, doesn't affect animals at the local facility, says Helen Firing, the zoo's administrative administrative co-ordinator, "We're instituting foot baths around all our areas," says Ms. Firing, explaining visitors and staff will be asked to walk through them before entering barns, or when going from one barn to another. As well, "we're asking staff to restrict restrict clothing they transport to and from" the zoo. ' The disease, which affects cloven-hoofed animals, such as cows, pigs and sheep, has not been seen in Canada since 1952, but was recently confirmed confirmed in parts of Europe and Argentina. First noticed in England in February, the disease disease can also pose a threat to other forms of animals, such as deer, cattle, bison, camels, See ZOO page A4 Your help is needed for Easter Food Drive Look for donation bags inside today's Statesman Spring is sprung and so has the Easter food drive. The Optimist Club of Oshawa's food drive for the Salvation Army food banks kicks off today. Paper bags to put donations donations in are included in today's paper. "This year our Easter food drive is kicking off early," said co-ordinator Maryanne Sholdra. "The food drive runs from April 6 to April 16, Palm Sunday Sunday to Easter Sunday, across Ajax, Oshawa, Whitby and Bowmanville. We're hoping to get between between 20,000 and 25,000 pounds of food." This year, students- from high schools in Oshawa Oshawa and Whitby, taking part in the World Vision 30-hour famine, will be collecting non-perishable food items door-to-door in select areas of the communities communities on April 7. All food collected will go to Salvation Army food banks in the four communities. The food banks have noticed an increase in clients, Ms. Sholdra said. "They're telling me the numbers of clients are up about two per cent," she said. Many clients are working working families where one of the parents has been laid off or lost a job, she said. With fuel and heating costs up, many need extra help putting meals on the table, she said. "That means the need is even greater for juices, cereal, rice, peanut butter, things that go a long way for the kids," Ms. Sholdra said. Of course, all- non-perishable non-perishable foods are needed for the drive. These include include canned fish, fruits and vegetables, pastas, tomato sauce and baby food and formula. Donations can be dropped off at any fire station in Oshawa, Whitby, Whitby, Ajax and Clarington and the following grocery stores: A&P, No Frills, Price Chopper and IGA and, in Ajax only, Dominion Dominion and Food Basics. The drive is being sponsored by the Optimist, Optimist, Durham firefighters and Oshawa, Whitby and Clarington This Week, The Canadian Statesman and the Ajax News Advertiser. Advertiser. ANDREW IWANOWSKI/ Statesman photo Joanna LaFleur of Anderson Collegiate and her mom, Sylvia, are ready to help the school collect for the Easter food drive. 1998 Bunflri OT 2 Dr. power sunroof, auto, A/C, .cruise, tilt; pwr windows + locks, keyless entry, CD player 60,583km $13,999 1995 Sonoma Extended Ceb 2WD. 4.3 ve. auto, SLS Interior, box liners + matching painted cap. Only 51,087km. $11,878 wmm, 1997 Venture LS 4Dr. Long Wheel * till, power windows + locks, 7 paesenqw.moAiw WW . power driver's seat.