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2 - PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, May 5, 1992 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" Durham passes budget Save now, pay later solution for region By Scott Anderson Port Perry Star The Region of Durham will pay in subsequent years for its modest tax increase, says a re- gional official. Jack Gartley, Commissioner of Finance, told regional coun- cillors on Wednesday that al- though the budget increase of 9.7 per cent was in the middle of the pack in comparison to other regional governments, he warned them of the consequenc- es. "When you cut back and re- strict to zero per cent, you will have demand for increases in fu- ture years," he warned. A projected budget forecast estimates that the net regional levy will jump 25.4 per cent to $112 million in 1993, 13.4 per centin 1994 and 14.4 per centin 1995 to $145 million. Scugog Mayor Howard Hall concurred with Mr. Gartley when he also expressed concern about the projected increases in subsequent years. "It's a horrendous number," he said referring to next year's projected increase of 25.4 per cent. He fears that you can only de- lay projects for so long before it affects the region. Despite Mr. Gartley's warn- ing, members of Durham Re- gional council voted in favor of the document. The Net Regional Levy of $89,101,135 will cost the aver- age taxpayer $422, an average increase of $37 per household over 1991's total of $385. For the Township of Scugog the increase results in an in- crease of $36 to $424. The budget has a gross expen- diture of $325, 754,465 and a net expenditure requirement of $114,207,430. Don Hadden, Brock Town- ship Mayor and Chairman of the Finance and Administra- tion Committee, said the bu was "a long and arduous tas involving the hard work of ail the committees. "It's not a miracle budget," he said comparing it to Metropoli- tan Toronto's recent budget. "I don't think it could be a mira- cle." Mayor Hadden noted that Durham Region has been under a tremendous strain this year to supply for the rising costs of General Welfare Assistance. Approximately 20,000 resi- dents collect welfare across the region. As a result of this strain, the General Welfare Assistance budget increased 15.8 per cent Thinking of a new kitchen ... mi, Nee | I mn il Buy Now to $25.3 million. Whitby Mayor Tom Edwards said they were looking at an in- crease in the range of 29 per cent, but were forced to bring it down to 15.8 per cent. But Mayor Edwards warned that the increase may not be enough to tide the region over until next year. "We don't quarantee that we won't be coming back to council asking for more money," he said. Accounting for almost half of the $89-million budget, is the Police Service's Board, whose budget came in at a little more than $44 million. Ajax Mayor Jim Witty, Chair- man of the Police Services Board, said the police budget, which saw an increase of ap- proximately nine per cent will force the board to "do more with less money," adding it was "not the budget 1 would've liked to present to you." The budget does not allow for an increase in the number of of- ficers on staff for the regional police force. It currently has 755 members. The board had hoped to hire an additonal 50 officers this year. Although the hiring freeze will not affect the basic service being provided, Mayor Witty said it will slow response times. This warning comes at a time when the crime rate is on the rise. Mayor Witty reported that in the first three months of 1992 robberies increased 33 per cent, break and enters were up 16 per cent and arson was up 65 per cent. Despite hikes in Police Ser- vices and General Welfare As- sistance, other areas saw little if no increase. Finance and Ad- ministration saw a 0.5-per cent cut, the Planning Committee saw a 1.6-per cent decrease, the Special Standing Committee saw no change from last year's numbers and Health and Social Services saw a 1.8-per cent in- crease. The area to see the largest cut was in the Works Department budget which saw a 10.9-per cent decrease, dropping the spending to $8. 76 million. As a result of this cut, only three new projects were intro- duced, while the remainder of the work is carried over from previous years. "It's very lean, lean, lean," John Aker, Chairman of the Works Committee, said of the Works budget. "There are certainly roads that need work, but we just don't have the money to do it," he said. In addition to the roads work, approximately $38 million is DEE EEEDEEREECEEEEEE EXPERT KARATE INSTRUCTION El Call 985-7982 ®) Sundays & Tuesdays 7 pm [LIT To - He ) 2 . 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