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8- PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, January 27, 1998 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" Brace yourself: Tax hike's likely in '98, councillors say By John B. McClelland Port Perry Star Scugog ratepayers could be in for a nasty shock later this spring: a tax hike; the first in several years. And if that happens, newly elected Mayor Doug Moffatt wants to make sure that it is not because of wild spending on the part of Scugog Township councillors. "People must understand that the municipal portion of their tax bill is being well managed," he said Monday morning as the finance committee held a lengthy and detailed meeting on the upcoming budget. "We (the township) have to show people what caused (any) increase in taxes," said the mayor. ¢ After the meeting, he told the Star that spelling out to residents exactly why their property taxes are going up -- if that happens -- could take the form of a special notice mailed out with the tax bills. Or, any increase could be spelled out directly in the budget document itself, he suggested. In any event, the message the mayor wants to get to the people is that if their taxes go up in 1998, "it won't be our (local council's) fault. At least it better not be our fault." The township's treasury department, in a report presented to the finance com- mittee on Monday, notes that Scugog is facing a revenue shortfall of about $548,000 this year compared with 1997. Most of that shortfall is a result of the loss of $440,000 from the provincial gov- ernment in what used to be called the a municipal support grant. It won't be in the mail from Queens Park in 1998. And there are other major unknown variables facing Scugog in what is becom- ing an incredibly complex process for setting a new budget this year. The first is the impact of a new method of setting assessment values on property. This year it will be on the actual 1996 value of each specific property. That information is expected in the near future from the provincial assessment department. As well, Scugog does not yet know how much of a tax hike may be required at the regional level. Durham officials are suggesting the region may need an additional $10 million in 1998. Also unknown at this time is the impact of changes in the farm tax rebate plan, and the loss of revenue from busi- ness occupancy taxes. The latter in Scugog's case is estimated at about $130,000. Township administrator Earl Cuddie pointed out to the committee on Monday that loss of $130,000, and any loss in farm taxes, is money that the township is going to have to make up from some- place else. "The demand and the need for those tax dollars is not going to go away, no matter how much shuffling and reshuf- fling is done," said Mr. Cuddie. He is not confident that statements by Ontario Premier Mike Harris that downloading and other changes imposed by the province will end up "revenue neutral" when it comes to the final bill for property owners. "It (downloading) will gobble up more than the province has put back," he pre- dicted. And Scugog treasurer Kathryn McCann told the committee that based on the information the municipality now has, "individual tax bills are going to go up." Preliminary estimates for 1998 show that Scugog needs to raise $4,352,778 in property taxes to pay the bills this year. Homeless teens spending winter ni From page 1 nagers aged 15 to 17 who have no place to go at night, and teenage girls as young as 15 are "doing anything to get money." And she cited one recent case where a local store was robbed by a teenager "desperate to get money to buy food." Ms Hill said she approached township council for assistance because she is very concerned, and doesn't know where else to go after being turned away by social service agencies. "What they (the teenagers) need is a place to go at night, where they can get a cot to sleep and some food," she told council. Councillors were dismayed to hear that this kind of "inner city" issue is appearing in the community. And they agreed they don't have any ready-made answers for what is a complex societal problem. Council members agreed, however, that they can't just turn a blind eye to the problem. Mayor Doug Moffatt said he will open dialogue with the Childrens Aid Society to see if there are long-term solutions that can be tried. And Ward 2 rep Ken Carruthers will get in touch in with local churches to see if they can assist on a short-term basis to make sure teens at least have a place to get in out of the cold at night. Ms Hill told council she would be willing to attend a meeting with church groups and relate the story. She said teens in this situation don't qualify for welfare because they don't have a permanent address. While stating that something should be done ghts outside, speaker says about the issue, councillors were concerned about getting the municipality involved in a long-term solution, as this might just encourage other teens to move out of their family homes for trivial reasons. "Some of the teens don't want to go home (to their parents) for very good reasons, others because their parents tell them to be in at midnight," said Regional Councillor Ken Gadsden. "This is a very complex issue and I don't have any answers," Ms Hill said she has tried to help individuals. 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