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EDITORIAL Hot dog debate Scugog Township council is wrestling with an issue that just about every city and town in the province wrestles with at one time or another: what 10 do about outside vendors. At first blush, it may seem a simple cnough issue. This is a free enterprise society we live in, thus municipal councils have no right trying to regulate, control or ban outside vendors. In fact, it is an extremely complicated issue. Vendors who sell flowers on the street corners, hot dog or french fries from mobile trucks or carts are required to pay an annual licence fee of $150 They must set up shop on property zoned for commercial pur- poses and have the wntien permission of the hp the prop- erty. In the case of chip trucks and hot dog carts, (ey cannot be within 60 metres of an established eating place The owners of flower shops in Port Perry see red aq umes of the year like Easter and Mothers Day when the flower s appear at the corners of busy intersections. Likewise restaurant owners at the thought of a chip truck or hot dog cant selling food on busy summer weekends. 1 shop and restaurant owners pay a hefty business tax and oF open year round. They come to rely on 'heavy traffic' times of the year like Mothers Day or kends to help their businesses survive. No wonder they are ticked off at what they call the 'gypsies'. Certainly the $150 vendor's permit issued by the Township is nowhere near the amount a shop or restaurant would pay each year in business tax. Scugog council has had numerous discussions about this issue this year and in previous years And the Township right now is in the process of reviewing its policies Even in a free enterprise society, a local council has some obligation 10 protect stores and restaurants which are open year round, in good times and bad, providing a service to the public and paying business taxes Slapping.an outright ban on the vendors may be un-democrat- ic and a hindrance to free enterprise. But council should at least try to make the playing field level. The $150 annual licence fee is ridiculously low. How about bumping it up to $1,000 for starters? And council would be completely within its right to restrict the number of licences issued for flowers, chips, hot dogs or whatever If necessary, make the vendors apply in January and issue the licences by a lottery on February 1. Any vendor found operating in Scugog without a proper licence should face a hefty fine. If a vendor doesn') like the rules in Scugog, he (she) can sim- ply go to another municipality. Flower shop and restaurant owners may not be happy with this, but short of a total ban on all vendors, at least this would even things up a bil As we said, this is a tough issue with no easy answers. Maybe the consumer can play a role in this, especially those who live and work in the community. Maybe they should go out of their way 10 frequent those places of business which pay the taxes, gontribute to charities and support local sports organizations That might make this issue just a bit casier for all of us Keep itup () what with all those taxes on booze, cigareties, . And those Sunday shopping laws, they are just about the silliest laws we ever ut Just keep doing what you've been doing all along, We don't mind one bit. We're open and we'll gladly take your money. Don't change a thing up there in Ontario." Kind of tells the story, doesn't it? ] A some little Beavers at the Scugog Arena Saturday, site of a glant Beaverse. 'Geez, you're a big kid! The Big Beaver siaps some 'high fives' with Approximately 300 children from all over enjoyed the fun and fellowship -- and meeting the Big Beaver, of course. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Let the moral majority become vocal To the editor: from reality they can hardly be held The light filtered through the responsible for their actions. | say unopened window, refracting from that if a police officer can be the dangling crystal creating blos- charged under the criminal code for soms of colour on the walls of this performing hig-guty to serve and 15-year-old girl's room. As usual, protect us, then the people on the the morning has arrived all too parole board should be held respon- soon, and her moans of sible when they unleash these ani- could be heard down the hall of her mals on society. | also say where is quaint litte home. Her father had this so-called moral majority? Am | already left for work as her mother the only one who is outraged? | can whispered her gentle reminder, hardly contain my frustrations and "Come on, dear, let's go." One last anger with society, that we will not streich and out of bed she bounced. stand as a united force against these This day had started as many before evils and eradicate them. | sympa- but may never end for the friends thize the police, the frustra- and family who will never forget tions they must feel after putting the tragedy that was set 10 unfold. these animals in their cages and With the innocence of youth still then tum around and give the keys present in her smile, this developing 10 the parole board. young lady set off for school for the The writing is on the wall, the last time. Her mother, unaware that system as we now know it, does not the casual farewell kiss good-bye work. The release of these criminals would have 10 last her a lifetime. back into society is not working. Another abducted youth, another We are supposed 10 be intelligent round in the battle with pure evil beings, yet we continue to make the spills out and pains us all its same mistakes time and time again. . We are all for | doubt that there is any deterrent these horrible nightmares come that would have any effect on a true, we continue 10 stand by as o hardened criminal. If they plan to they happen time, and time again. 1 8 commit a crime they will, no matter will not pretend 10 know what moti- what the puni They never vates someone 10 do these deeds of believe that they will be. caught. evil, 10 snatch a child from a loving The solution is simple, for any home, use them, then discard them violent crime against another #s trash on the side of the road. But human the punishment should be 1 will say my piece. death, This includes rape. sexual The odds are that this person abuse of child society. We may never eliminate the first time offender from our midst, but we can eliminate the repeat offender permanently. The bell must ring loud and clear for the return of capital pun- ishment, not just for murder but for all the crimes listed above. For the sentence levied on the sexually abused child or the raped woman is a life of recurring nightmares and torment. If you feel as frustrated as | do about our so called justice system, write me with your concerns and | will forward them to our members of Parliament. Let the moral majority become the vocal majority. Tyler S, Briley 19 Poplar Park Cres., Port Perry, One. LIL 1E4. Hmmmm.... To the Editor: Another $10 billion in the hole, thanks to the Ontario NDP. And to save going into greater debt casinos. | suggest further savings can be made by legalizing broth- els. Bob Rae and his team will the welfare rec with gambling chips and ers. Further, these e: ments will make use of the empty facto- ries caused by this government's who abducted this child is a repeat rood ips rid gif offender, probably out on probation . throw in drug trafficking and relat or mandatory supervision or some ed activities. This may sound like such crap. Released on the advice tough medicine but it is necessary of some intellectual so far removed 10 cure the ills of a very troubled This is just one prob- lem: you can be sure casinos and brothels run by the NDP would lose money. Colin Kemp, Nestleton, Ontario.