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Orono Town Hall O rono Weekly Times Volume 64, Number 10 750 GST Included Wednesday,; March 8,2000 The best stories this millennium Jacob Warwick, a grade three student at Orono Public School, is writing himself into a stoiy abçut a bike racer who beats 20-30 other racers to the finish line in a big race at Cedar Springs. Students at the school are involved in a Millennium Writing Contest, and last Thursday were encouraged to dress up as a character in their own stories. Some of these stories will be published in a future edition of the Orono Weekly Times. Lack of true competition is trol prices at the pump, they points, are all paid for by the what s driving the gas price should stay in the refinery dealers, up, according to independent business. "But government also dealers. . "In markets where there is caused the closure of many The Gas Price Review no major large branded site, independent sites," stated Task Force, co-chaired by prices are normally lower Turner.. In the early 1990's M.P.P. John O'Toole held than areas where the major the provincial government hearings in Bowmanville on marketers exert their control," forced most gas stations to Wednesday, March 1, 2000. said Randy Turner, who rep- remove and replace their "Major oil companies con- resents the 22 members of the underground storage tanks.: trol the retail market, and Ontario Fuel Dealers The cost was enormous and ' c aim to be fiercely competi- Association. Turner said he caused the closure of proba- tive, 5 ' stated an accountant was glad to see a 5 cent per bly hundreds of gas stations, rom tie Hamilton area. In litre increase, then he could Gas station operators;are now act, the small business own- recoup what he didn't make required to attend a two day ® r f s , wh -°. dominated when prices were so low. training course which requires ednesday s hearings all According to Turner, the an ongoing fee to retain our agreed, the major oil coni pa- majors have created a busi- certification, according to nies are to blame for the high ness climate whereby the Turner, price of gas at the pumps. independents can't make a "There are not enough The Hamilton area man sug- profit. Customer incentive people like me in the industry gested, major oil companies. programs such as Petro - should not be allowed to con- points, Air Miles and Imperial (continued page 6) Municipality enters gas war The Municipality of Clarington will request the federal and provincial governments governments to consider a temporary reduction in their tax of fuel till the present crisis is over. This motion put forward by Councillor Troy Young, was. approved by council Monday night. "The provincial government government has beçn talking in the press about thë possibil ity of a temporary reduction in their tax rate," stated Young. "Enough talk, we need results," he sajd. Young asked councillors to consider what it would have cost this municipality^ if we had to dig ourselves out of a massive snowfall? "We are very lucky the weather has been good," he stated. The federal and provincial governments do have the power to influence the gas prices through the tax they charge, says Young. The tax component of a litre of gas is: 10 cents federal excise tax, 14.7 cents provincial provincial tax, 4.3 cents GST. Veridian President John Weirsma, came to council on Monday, at Mayor Ham re's request, to explain how the newly formed Veridian Hydro Company works. Veridian was formed last fall, through the amalgamations amalgamations of Ajax, Pickering and Clarington Hydro Commissions, in response to provincial government legislation legislation to privatize public utilities. utilities. Clarington as a 16,9% shareholder in Veridian, received a dividend payment of $948,000 last September, and is entitled to another identical identical payment this year. In a presentation to council council last month, Roy Forrester raised the question of who is paying for this dividend? He concluded it could only come from the ratepayers. Veridian has 11,000 customers in Clarington. Ontario Hydro services the rural portions of Clarington, which includes all of Courtice, and has 13,000 customers. As a public utilities commission, commission, Clarington Hydro realized an operating surplus (continued page 6) Happenings . . . ORONO HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY St. Patrick's Show is being held on March 16 at 7:30 p.m., Orono United Church. Guest speaker is Anna Bragg, topic - "For The Birds." NEWTONVILLE UNITED CHURCH Come and enjoy a Musical Concert by The Switzer Brother's Quartet, Newtonville Church, Saturday, April 8th, 2000, 7:30 p.m. Also attend the U.C.W. Roast Beef Dinner in the C.E. Room, 6:00 p.m. For tickets call 786-2239 or 786-2286. CLARINGTON OLDER ADULTS Sponsoring a dance, Western & Square dancing, Friday, March 10th, 7:30 - 11:00 p.m. at Clarington'Beech Centre, 26 Beech Avenue, Bowmanville. Everyone Welcome. J