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Vol. 5, No. 13 Your Voice in Scugog Wednesday, January 3, 1996 Call (905) 985-6397 CIRC. 13,500 20 pages YE BE 2 a | i i f 4 : | ] A A Ontario 190430 Cutis Scugog grant by $388,000 Scugog Mayor Hghvard Hall wort rule out anything at this time, even a hike in property taxes, as the Township grapples with a massive cut in its 1996 grant from the provincial government. But in an interview with the Citizen this week he stressed that a tax increase "will be the very last resort." The Township learned last week that its total grant from the province will be chopped in 1996 by $388,000, or about 35 per cent. Last year, Scugog received $1.07 million in ¢onditional and unconditional money from - Ontario. This year, the total. for all grants will be $689,000. Municipalities across Ontario have kriown for months that a substantial cut in grants was coming, but when Scugog received the precise amount last week, the Mayor safd "this is a Jot worse than we thought it: 'would be? : { Because of the complicated grant structure in 1995 involving conditional and unconditional money, will be short the . . $388,000 if it does the same samount of road repairs and reconstruction that it did i in 1995, But the Mayor said trying to replace that amount is going to be very difficult as the eouncil begins to wrestle with its 1996 budget. He said there may have to be / incredses in user fees for municipal facilities such a b¥seball diamonds and thy rental of community halls. Don't let winter get you own, get out and enjoy it. There are several [for this year Certainly, the user fee charged last year of $5 to launch a boat at the municipal launch facility will continue for the entire summer. Road repairs may have to be cut back as well as the number of summer staff hired for + maintenance in the municipal parks. The Mayor said these and other measures will save Scugog money this year, but he doubts very muck. they will make up the expected shortfall of nearly $400,000. The Township will start its budget setting process this year with a target of a zero tax increase. "The last thing we (council) will * do is raise taxes. There are just too many people (tax payers) up against it right now," he said. But he does not want fo see the council forced to/ dip into municipal reserve finds to cover operating costs jlist to avoid a tax hike. 'Despite the Hefty reduction in the provincigl grants this year, the Mayor said there are some bright spots on the horizon in Scugog for 1996. . Sev large building projects have been approved or are close to /approval (Canterbury Commons, new food store, more hoyhes in Victorian Village, the West Shore Seniors development d the Lishman development) hich will have a positive impact on the Township. + Levies and fees will be collected as construction progresses and by 1997, these projects should . add considexably to the municipal tax ddsessment base. Palace open soon for the Port Perry Kinsmen Cup. The mushers will start the races on Queen Street (as in previous years) and the course will follow the west shore of the lake and then inland at the Canterbury Commons official opening ¢ play 13 at 10:00 AM. project. The finish line will be on Queen Street. The following day (Sun. January 21) the mushers will be back with their teams for exhibitions on Queen Street (west of Water Street) and these should prove very interesting for spectators... Enjoying an open air skate Bryan Wolfe of North Bay celebrated the New Year with a visit to his mother Norma of Port Perry. And on New Year's Day, he took the opportunity to get in some skating on frozen Lake Scugog. With Mr. Wolfe are his daughter Adrienne and his nephew Ryan. Now that winter has officially arrived in Scugog, the lake Is a hub for all kinds of cold weather fun activities such as skating and snowmoblling. Residents and visitors are reminded that the famous Ice Palace Open Air skating rink will open soon and an official opéning Is set for Jan. 13 at 10:00 AM. No matter what your favourite way to pass tha winter months, please use cautiion at all times when on the Lake Scugog ice. That same day the Latcham Centre will be a hub of showmobile activity dp" Snowarama for Ea Hon makes a return Te Tt t Perey after se: pd freeze putting