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‘\* No TTC fare hike recommended this | The TTC extended 15 suburban bus routes last year, including the Jane and Dufferin bus lines, with the result that transit riding in Metro‘s boroughs,reached an all time high in 1971. This was confirmed by the TTC in its annual report which showed that 87â€"million paying passengers were carried in the POZCCD PERRCUBMC TOSIC ARIIOON M NBE M an mb d m cost d exâ€" hm“'f:' 2 3,800,000 million from the perimenting with the fare system, take the previniis year, introduction of reduced transit fares for TTC Commissioner David Lacey, also an _ elderly persons over age 65 which started on Etobicoke controller, said the existing basic _ a limited basis in 1970 and became available transit fare of 30 cents cash or four tickets _ to all persons over age 65 in 1971. for a $1 should continue into next year. He The subsidy from the property taxpayer to VOL. 11, No. 30, 17 Daybar Avenue â€"â€" Phone 247â€"6137 Off Martingrove Rd. 1 block South of Belfield YOU ARE INVITED TO OUR NEW SHOWROOM ALL MODELS ON DISPLAY from $199Q said the TTC is looking closely at possible variations in fare structures which even tually could lead to elimination of the zone fare system. However, he said, the problem of eliminating the zone fare system depends a great deal on the cost and who will pay for introducing a single fare in Metro. Westonâ€"York Times the TTC for fares for the elderly started out at $482,491 in 1970 and reached $2,558,342 in 1971, The cost for this year will not be known for some time. While transit revenue was up over two percent in 1971 with increased transit riding the cost of operating the system was up over eight percent. With over 6,670 transit emâ€" ployees the annual TTC budget shows labor costs taking up 70 percent of expenses. TTC Commissioner Gordon Hurlburt said last week that the experiment in free transit riding for a two hour period produced a doubling of the volume of passengers on Bathurst Street. The free transit riding was THURSDAY, JULY 6, 1972 paid for as a promotion by a department Mr. Hurliburt admitted that the heavy fa builaing the ubv:ymu:c“gm vor from l:‘mm which is the route favored by York civic officials, The commissioner is not happy with the number of vehicles that the Eglinton bus route is carrying. He said with improved transit facilities Eglinton Avenue should be carrying 8,000 passengers hourly. This could require replacement of buses with some form of intermediate transit service as yet to be determined. Mr. Huriburt, a former North York Mr. Anderson maintained that his department has made extensive reports to ' Metro council with regard to the whole problem of drug aid to low income persons. He stated it was found that an extension of prescription drug costs cannot be acâ€" complished through municipal funding alone and unless extensive subsidization is provided by the federal and provincial governments, he cautioned against the large *~~~ scale ‘and general acceptance of drug cost Turnovers lose York businessmen may not be using their premises for the right purpose according to a report submitted to Council by the treasurer‘s department. A review processed by the Assessment Review Court in connection with vacant business and change of owner in 1971 showed 529 unpaid tax bills. A total of 153 appeals were heard for businesses on Eglinton Avenue West alone and 73 on Weston Road. Metro council last week put another member of council on the TTC. He was Scarborough Controller Karl Mallette who lives in East York. The TTC already has transit com:â€" missioners who live in North York, Scarâ€" borough and Etobicoke. York Mayor Philip White did not support the appointment of Mr. Anderson maintained that persons who are receiving municipal welfare assistance and those who have an unemâ€" ployable head of the family are entitled to receive a monthly medical card which authorizes up to $20 per month in prescription drugs. An unemployed emâ€" ployable male head of a family may receive this card by application to the municipal York is now the only borough in Metro without having a resident as a member of the TTC. ‘‘There has been no provision made for a municipal involvement in the cost of prescription drugs for fully employed people who are receiving incomes at or below the welfare level," stated Commissioner John G. Anderson, Metro Toronto Department of Social Services, in a recent letter to York Council. York Board of Health questioned Mr. Anderson after council referrred a motion by Aldermen Ben Nobleman and Michael Waclawski asking that the payment of prescription drugs be included under a pharmacare scheme to old age pensioners and persons in the lower income bracket. supplementation. . Drug costs are extensive, reports Mr. Anderson. In excess of $1,500,000. per year. We are well aware that this covers a very small proportion of the community," he said, "Although it is probably that portion of the community which has the highest drug costs." Problems with the telephone comâ€" munication system at York municipal offices may soon be solved. The building at 2700 Eglinton Avenue West will have a Bell Telephone Series 300 system installed. This system will allow for expansion of up to 200 telephones from the present 79. The new system will /be easier to operate, route calls automatically from one local to the next, if the first is busy, and allow a caller to remain "campedâ€" on‘" a busy line until it is free, at which time the connection would be made chboard operator except during exâ€" tremely heavy usage periods. controller also said that the TTC should have had exclusive bus lanes on Metro roads a long time ago. The exclusive bus lane proposed for a section of Eglinton Avenue on The commissioner also said the TTC has slowed down in subway construction and is building one mile of subway line a year instead of a necessary two miles per year. The commissioner said it was evident that the federal government should come in and help Metro and the province with providing public transportation. He noted that in a number of European countries the federal It will also require only one switâ€" Drug costs not for municipilities Now hear this York not represented (Neee 6 241â€"3581 180 CHURCH ST., WESTON. ONTARIO The most common comment regarding unpaid taxes is ‘"out of business," "vacated" or "moved." Although these were the reasons mentioned, the treasurer‘s department felt the reasons could have, in reality, been inadequate financing, poor management, more suitable location found, no market in area for particular product or service and cheaper labor area found. Considerable tracing and cost to the borough would be involved in locating the former business owners. Majority of business turnovers variety stores, hairdressers, restaurants and clothing stores. The report assumed that there will always be a large turnover for this type of business. The report went on to state that when a business closes and remains vacant, the borough loses tax revenue on the business assessment and the difference between the commercial rate and the residential rate. The loss to the borough may not be too great from failing small commercial stores as the majority do not appear to be vacant for too long a period. f No attempt was made by the department to determine if the best possible use was being made of property, continued the, report. For example, it was fim al certain property was being used for com tractor‘s equipment storage, whereas it may have realized more assessment if us North York Alderman Ian Rogers said as council made the new TTC appointment, that he favored abolition of the TTC with transit being taken over by Metropolitan council. "I believe we should assume full control of public transit," he said. Mr. White favored the appointment of David Nowlan, a university professor in economics and the author of a book on the William R. Allen expressway. Mr. Mallette to the TTC while Mr. Trimbee did. "It is extremely difficult for a welfare department to make the evaluation in the case of individual patients and we are often criticized by individual members of the medical profession for any limitations which we place on the provision of drugs. I would give as an example of this my reluctance to enter into acceptance of costs for injectible items such as allergy serums," concluded Mr. Anderson. Provincial welfare recipients under the family benefits program are provided with either a reimbursement for their drug exâ€" penditures or a supplementary aid benefit of up to $20 per month for the purchase of their own drugs. This latter provision is also applicable to recipients of old age security. ‘‘While we normally state that assistance for prescription drugs is limited to $20 per month, this amount, is often extended on the basis of a special assessment of the drug needs of the individual," said Mr. Anderson. ‘‘This applies not only to our own general welfare assistance cases, but to supâ€" plementary aid cases as well." The department does not separate totally the provision of supplementary aid on the basis of drugs alone. Some allowances are provided for excessive shelter costs or special needs for transportation, eye glasses and dental care. . He pointed out that under a medical inâ€" surance program which provides for the treatment of a patient by a doctor, the adâ€" mission of a patient to a hospital on the doctor‘s orders and the discharge of the patient from the hospital with a provision for a continuation of drugs as an alternative, there should be some assurance that the drugs which are required to keep the patient out of the hospital would be supplied. office when he has been unable to obtain any partial employment which would permit him to make the purchase himself. : The TTC, he said, is looking at its weekend :gunhyhhd service to determine can be improved. Some complaints have been received by the TTC from citizens about Sunday service. d-whfi:-m.w h‘u TTC may get to appear commission meetings. Mr. Hurlburt adâ€" mitted that the TTC may have to change its image. After Wednesday the TTC will have a new transit chairman. He will be a resident of a Metro borough. 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