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d : sn 6 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, November 28, 1989 The Pov Perey Shar 235 QUEEN STREET - PORT PERRY, ONTARIO PHONE 985-7383 FAX 985-3708 Elsewhere $60.00 per year. Single Copy 50¢ EDITORIAL Publisher - J. Peter Hvidsten Editor - John B. McClelland News/Features - Julia Ashton BUSINESS OFFICE Office Manager - Gayle Stapley Accounting - Judy Ashby Billing Department - Louise Hope Retail Sales - Kathy Dudley, Linda Ruhl, Tracy O'Neil Poss Offce apartment Otiwa, for cash payment of powiage. PRODUCTION ADVERTISING cor alain Bl Second Class Mail Registration Number 0265 Annabell Harrison Advartilng CoG ae ae . Trudy Empringham Advertising Sales Representative - Anna Gouldburn Subscription Rate: InCanada $20.00 per year + Darlene Hiozan Advertising Sales Representative - Tanya Sheehey Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association Ontario Community Newspaper Association Published every Tuesday by the Port Perry Star Co. Ltd. Port Perry, Ontario Editorial Comment OMINOUS For the second year in a row, water bills in Durham Region will be increasing at a rate higher than the annual inflation rate. Regional council this week is expected to put its stamp of approval on a committee report which recom- mends that water/sewer rates for residential customers in- crease 7.9 per cent as of January 1. Last year, the hike was slightly over seven per cent, following five years of in- creases at just about or less than inflation. - If the new rates for 1990 get the expected OK from Regional council this week, residents who have water and sewer services will see their quarterly bill jump $5.81. The average bill will be just under $80, based on annual con- sumption of 60,000 gallons. - For industry using large amounts of water, the hikes will be even steeper, ranging from 9.9 per cent to 13.7 per cent, depending on volume. This means the cost of doing business in Durham Region is going up, a fact that may add to the difficulties Durham has experienced in attracting new industry to lo- cate here. There have been reports in the last 12 months that Durham lost at least one major new industry because of the sky-high cost of land and the tax structure. Hiking the cost of water bills by up to 13.7 per cent in one fell swoop won't help in the super-competitive battle to bring industry to this area. As for residential users, back-to-back hikes in water bills above the inflation rate hurts as well. Most wage earners are not seeing their pay cheques go up at this rate. And the bite will be even deeper for the average citi- zen when the federal government puts its claws in and slaps a nine per cent tax on those water bills in 1991. So why is Durham faced with hiking the water bills so much this year. Well, the Region last week turned out a 60-page re- port on the water/sewer systems, a report chock full of numbers, graphs and statistics. The report tells in one paragraph that the "major fac- tor in influencing the rate increase is the increase in the applicable capital programs." In short, Durham needs not only to up-grade the sys- ~ tems It already has in ground, but add new ones to-keep up with the ever present growth patterns. Prosperity, it seems, costs money, and you know who pays. More ominous perhaps is the statement in the report that for the first time in many years, Durham may be faced with debenturing to pay for new water and sewer systems. If the Region has to start borrowing, the impact on water/sewer users is going to reflected in future rate hikes. It is not a happy prospect as many Regional politi- cians took great pride in the "Pay-as-you-go" policy for these projects. But now it seems that even the rate increases and the hefty chunks of money paid by developers in the form of lot levies, will not be enough to meet the demand fér new and improved services. : There are some obvious danger signs on the wall in Durham Reglon. Costs just keep going up: taxes, utilities, land, housing, with the increases out-strippirg salary and wae improvements. Industry is being scared away by the high cost of land, taxes, services and housing for employ- ees Governments (not just Durham) are gobbling up more and more of disposable income each year with no end in sight. Somebody, somewhere has to put the brakes on, and bring this spiral to a screeching halt. THE OLD WATERING HOLE | have no idea how many times I've driven by the Chalk Lake water spring over the years, but it would have to number in the hundreds. But until last week, | never stopped to savor the water from this now famous watering hole. As everyone knows, Jeopie line up by the dozens (day & night) to fill containers of every shape and size, and many of them drive long distances for this "free" pure spring water. This summer, Durham Region spent thousands of tax dollars (estimated cost was $150,000) to move the water spring from the east side of Durham Road 23 to the west side. The result of this move is a much safer, and more accessible site, with five outlets available for filling water containers. - It was a nice gesture on the part of Durham Region, but one that | find hard to justify, unless there is some way of recovering the cost. Possi- bly they should charging non-residents of Durham a fee for ing and filling their water bottles. Why should we, the taxpayers of Dur- ham have to subsidize the cost of moving the well for the benefit of others? Pure spring water Is available in containers from any number of sources in grocery stores around the area at a nominal fee, so why should they get it free from Durham residents? As | started to say earlier, | stopped last |. week at the well for the first time to get a drink of water, and was not overly impressed with the taste of the water. I'm not sure what | Sipacied, but | know it wasn't what | had anticipated. The water was cool, clear, but it sure didn't taste so good that | would consider hauling con- talners there every week for drinking water. (I'm sure there are some who must because of dry wells or contaminated water supplies) it almost makes one wonder if drinking ing water is the new "trendy" thing to do. Yinka spring water become the equiva- lent of drinking "Perrier" at a party? "The old saying, you can lead a horse to wa- ter, but you can't make him drink, sure doesn't hold up In this case. This new "trend" or "fad", is drawing literally thousands of to the spring every month, and the Region has encour- aged even heavier use of the spring by spend- ing tax dollars to improve the site. Jottings by }. Peter Hvidsten Now I'm sure Durham Region doesn't want to get into the water business, but maybe they should lease the site to someone willing to take a gamble, and operate the water spring like a busi- ness. Private enterprise is far more efficient at run- ning a business than government, so there is lit- tle doubt in my mind, if operated properly, Dur- ham Region could recoup its investment into the Chalk Lake Spring in a very short time. But then, that just makes too much sense, doesn't it? KIDS SAY... A few weeks ago when my son Matthew re- tured from his grandparents in Scarboro, he jumped onto my lap, looked me straight in the eyes and said "Dad, do you remember when you had a beard?" (he had just seen some old video flicks of me when he was a baby) "Yes | do", | replied, thinking back to a beard rowing contest the Festival Days committee of the Scugog Chamber of Commerce held about five years ago. Still perched on my lap, with his mind busily Phasing the next question, he took his hand, laid on top of my ing head and said, "Dad, do you member when you had hair?" "Yes Matthew | do", | retorted frying to hold back a smirk and the laugh building inside. *Then where did it go, Dad?" He never did hear the answer, as everyone in the room burst out laughing at the innocent cu- riosity and honbsty of youth. On another occasion, at a local coffee shop one Saturday morning, Matthew sat munching on a muffin and watching come and go. As one man entered he took particular interest in him as he approached the counter. He watched him standing at the counter and after a few moments of silent thought, he looked back at me and said "Look Dad, that man has the very same hair cut as you." Kids really do say the darndest things! If you have a favourite comment blurted out by your kids, jot it down and send it to me at the ress below and maybe we'll use it in a future column. Send your quotes along with your name, address and name and age of the child you aré quoting to: Kids Say, Port Perry Star, 235 Queen Street, Port Perry,Ontario.