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wg -- Sevgog Clin Busitay; b published by : Scugog Citizen Publishing id THE SCUGOG CITIZEN an independently owned and operated weekly community newspaper, 54 WATER ST., PORT PERRY, ONT. L9L1j2 Phone : (905) 985-6397 Fax : (905) 985-1410 | Subscriptions sold outside Scugog Let's Talk Taxes A Politician's Christmas Shopping Guide Ho hum, here they go once again rolling out the old excuse that they don't have enough money. To make up for provincial transfer cuts of $658 million over the next two years, many icipal are g out trial balloons that services will have to be slashed or eliminated altogether, and that citizens should brace user fees. How unimaginative can they be? Politicians can only spend a tax dollar once. But every time a dollar is wasted by them, it either deprives taxpayers of services they should be getting or ends up costing everybody more than they should be paying in taxes. : Municipal governments that talk about cutting services or raising property taxes to offset the cuts in provincial transfer payments don't have a funding problem. They have a cost problem. Typically, their unit costs for the required quantity and quality of seyVice are higher than y they're themselyes for higher property taxes and an onslaught of new is distributed, free of charge, to over 13,500 homes and businesses in and around Scugog Township. OCNA Mem CCNA Memb cCcNA *CNA conan CCNA Verified oo co-publishers : John B. McClelland, Valerie Ellis editor : John B. McClelland office WY Sibylle Warren : Valerie Ellis adv sales reps : : Thom Doran, Jennine Huffman reception : Janet Rankin production : Tanya Mappin feature writer : Heather McCrae "Proud Canadians, prowd to call Scugog Township home." ACCORDING TO NEW GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS YOURE. RESTRICTED TO WHERE. You CAN DELIVER PRESENTS AND TO WHOM RECEIVES PRESENTS | KNOW WHO'S GOING To GET BALONEY IN HS STOCKING THIS YEAR! above market prices. Although the purch of tangible goods like road salt, computers, etc. are routinely subject to competitive tendering, their most expensive cost element- labour-is not subject tg the competitive market. (As a result, labour costs tend to be higher than necessary because of wages, salaries and benefits which are above market, archaic work rules that impede productivity, and layers of t and larger than necessary staffs. The @olution isn't better t, b ket costs-is can't p ina ive The answer to any ---- politician whe is talking about raising property taxes or cuttingiservices isfo tell them to get their fingers walking through the "Yellow Pages". The results will be dramatic. No cuts and no tax increases. In fact, better service and substantially lower costs is the guaranteed outcome. Experience south of the border has shown that when Go ornmisnie have adopted competition as the model for elivering public services, savings of 20-40% and in some instances 60 percent or higher can be achieved. Philadelphia, for example, has reduced street maintenance and water department costs by 50% and nursing home costs by 63%. The City of Indianapolis has reduced printing costs by 47%, street repairs and garbage collection by 25%, waste water treatment by 44% and vehicle fleet maintenance by!18% by simply using the Yow Pages" test. tond g that everl the best manager a Fire din 10 U.S. states and the'Netherlangs. In Scottsdale, Arizona, the private contractor provides Superior service for 30% less than a municipal operation. Transit systems are being converted to competitive tendering throughout the developed world with cost savings ranging from 15 to 60 percent. In Crestwood, Illinois, the ratio of city staff to population has been reduced by more than 90% through competitive tendering. i Many municipal services are still produced by public employees who found ways to improve their cost effectiveness when faced with competition. Linda Morrison, Contract Administrator for Philadelphia put it this way "Savings that weren't possible before, suddenly materialize once you put a service out to bid." In Los Angeles, the mere threat of competitive tendering by the Mayor Ited in a 25 p t cost This Christmas give your local politician who's preaching doom and gloom b of p! fer cuts a gift of reality. Leave him or her a personalized, gift-wrapped copy of Ma Bell's "Yellow Pages" under the Town Hall Christmas tree. Ane ("Let's Talk Taxes" is a feature ser vide of the Ontario 'axpayers Federation) on't the problem. The problem is no' competition, and the | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR So much for allegations' To The Editor: Mr. Lindsay in his letter stated, not recalling having ever denied me access to the Oshawbrker or submitting an article, saying, "He does on occasion send us faxes." Faxes are letters. Mr. Lindsay. The well-paid executives are trying to resurrect the NDP party affiliation back into local 222. This is why you rebuff my opinions that do not follow the socialist agenda of your Editorial board. . When I ran in the Municipal elections, our Union and Oshawa District Labour Council skt up 'a screening committee for municipal candidates to reward them support during the V election. It was a farce and I preference, disability, POLITICAL or religious affiliation or place of national origin, all workers under the jurisdiction of the national union. Our Local 222 executives do not practice POLITICAL aspect of our constitution to honour this important clause in our constitution. You stated "the paper (Oshaworker) is not designed to be a political forum for any individual or group". ~ This really shocked me, when we all know that The (P.E.C.) Political Education Committee is run by hard core socialists and have their left wing views printed in the Oshaworker each month as you do. So much for my unfounded allegations hey, Mr. Lindsay! Have a Merry Christmas! Herman van der Veen Oshawa, Ont. Praise for doctor To the Editor: on his retirement My patients have frequently refused to be screened. In 1992, I would like to take advantage commented 'on, his very our Union tried to brainwash me of this forum to publicly thank per ble d , often in for six weeks at their school in Dr. John DiCesare on the the midst of unpleasant Port Elgin, run by socialists and occasion of his retirement from investigative procedures. He has hard core left wingers at a cost of Radiologic Medical Practice in been gentlemanly tolerant of the $10,000. this community. océasional unpleasantness that 1 think for myself and have a For many years, he has served comes along in a medical career. mind of my own. I believe in ourh 1 and clini 1, often On behalf of my patients, staff unions to a point of reason and ina "behind-the-scenes" manner. and myself, I wish John and his sanity. In my last faxed letter to My experience is that he is very family all the best in his the Oshaworker, which was not printed. I said "It is time to get * out of the glass house and look at the Brothers and Sisters slugging it out in the trenches and begin to take them serious." Just look at the 6Q<70 or so Union members who usually at those meetings out of | 15,000 members. It shows a lack of interest and apathy by the mémbership led by three different factions withiniour Union. Our C.A.W. constitution ' clearly states on page 4 article two section 2 - objective of union is to unite in one organization, , regardless of race, sex, dreed, colour, marital status, sexual i competent and co-operative, often staying late to help and frequently being available for urgent advice ures. * somewhat premature escape into retirement. 'Respectfully Gordon J. Jones M.D. Doris Taylor a fine cancer volunteer To the Editor: ° 3 There are a lot of wonderful volunteers with the Cancer Society, but one person always goes just that little bit further. That is Doris Taylor. She opened her home for a pot luck dinner, where she provided . a turkey with all the trimmings for many of us.' I would like to take this opportunity to thank her for a great evening. ° Eileen Hodgins, Prince Albert | '