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oo EEE CS (From page 1) "How much the province gives us determines what we have to ask for from the taxpay- ers," Mr. Brown said. The province also has the power to legislate new pro- grams such as AIDS instruc- tion, drug programs and junior kindergarten. The programs are mandatory, Mr. Brown said, but often provincial funding doesn't increase enough to fi- nance the expenditures and the extra money must come from lo- cal taxpayers. Regional Assessment Com- missioner Merv Bowen was also present at the meeting. He said market value assess- ment was a difficult decision for local councillors to make, but was the only option they had. He told the audience that if they were concerned about in- creases to their tax bill they should have attended the three- day open house to appeal their assessment. Mr. Bowen said that out of the 7,649 taxable properties in Scugog Township, only 113 tax- payers showed up at the open house, and 71 taxpayers ap- pealed their assessment to the assessment board. Mr. Frew told the Port Perry Star he agrees market value as- sessment is fair, but only if the properties are assessed proper- y. Mayor Hall also stands be- hind market value assessment and said that people who think their property has been as- sessed wrong can appeal the as- sessment. "By law, they have the route to go" if they think their proper- ty has been assessed wrong. For the last two hours of the three-hour meeting, taxpayers were invited to ask the panel questions. Small business owner Jim Wills told the politicians the sit- uation has gotten out of hand. Mr. Wills, a Prince Albert res- ident, said he lives on "the other side of the tracks." "I have seen a lot of changes in Port Perry, but not in my neighborhood," he said. Mr. Wills said he doesn't ben- efit from services like garbage pick-up or blue boxes and must contend with a road system in need of repairs. "If you think you are spend- ing my tax dollars for my bene- fit, then stop," he told the panel of municipal, regional and edu- cation officials. Many heated discussions erupted during the question pe- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, September 19, 1989 -- § Ratepayers show anger at meeting riod. Members of the audience waved assessment slips and called for lower taxes. Although the elected officials faced fierce opposition from the taxpayers, Mayor Hall said it was an excellent meeting and moderator Joel Aldred did a great job at keeping both sides under control. CAUT vows to continue to oppose tax increases Citizens Against Unjustified Taxes want all levels of govern- ment to stop huge tax hikes be- fore ratepayers are taxed right out of their homes and off their properties. CAUT chairman David Frew said Durham Region, Scugog Township and the Durham Board of Education raised their taxes 19, 10 and 15 per centres- pectively this year, placing a huge burden on the taxpayer. Citing a personal example, Mr. Frew said his taxes have more than doubled on one of the 11 properties in a corporation he, his brother, and their father own. In 1980, the corporation was taxed $2,662 for a farm proper- Coleman. You've seen the light. Now feel the comfort. Coleman means quality. Always has. Always will. Coleman's T.H.E. Il Deluxe Heat Pump MONEY SAVING HE SAVE up to 30% on your electric heating bills with Coleman's T.H.E. ll Deluxe Heat Pump. EXAMPLE: (2 1/2 Ton Unit has S.E.E.R. Rating 12.0, C.O.P. 3.72) TINT SS ES A EnerMark «LOAN PLAN FINANCED BY THE The Bectricity Pecple WC LOW MONTHLY PAYMENTS - 11.75% AIR CONTROL HEATING and AIR CONDITIONING LTD. 600 EUCLID ST., WHITBY (CY [SER IN lt Io Ta RIVERS KK N M M N M | Setvina the Durham Reaion. Residential, Commercial & Custom Homes. CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING in the summer and more even comfort all winter long. ATING NN BH Scotiabank 43 ty assessed at $12,850. That same property was assessed in 1989 at $12,852 and his taxes were $6,071 -- a 128 per cent in- crease in nine years. If taxes increase at the same rate, Mr. Frew said his tax bill for that one property will be $10,766 in 1995. "It's gotten pathetic," Mr. Frew said in a telephone inter- view. " I don't think the general public's salary increases at that level, so how are we going to pay our taxes?" CAUT was formed by con- cerned citizens in early July. Committee members hosted a public meeting recently with representatives from the re- gion, municipality and school board in attendance to answer questions. The panel was bombarded with questions and statements regarding property assessment, inappropriate spending of tax dollars and the lack of industry in Scugog Township. Mr. Frew said he was pleased with the quality of questions from the floor and the state- PAUL VAN CAMP Chartered Accountant 204 Casimir St. 9885-97285 Port Perry ments people made. "People seemed really con- cerned," he said. "No one want- ed to compromise with the guests." He said that if the interest is high, more public meetings will be hosted by CAUT in the fu- ture. "It's a people group," Mr. Frew said. "The only way it will work is if the numbers are there. "What we need is the taxpay- ers. A handful isn't going to do it. 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