PAGE 4, 1WE)NMSAY, DECFBER 13, 1978, WHrLBYFREE PRES whitby [Publlshed every Wednesday by M.M. Publlshng and Photography Inc. Phone 668-111 Volce of the County Town, Michael Ian Burgess, Publîsher.- Managlng Editor lIte only Whltby newspaper independently owned and operated by WhItby residents for Wltby residents. t Ibe Free Press Buuumg, 131 Brock Street North, P.O. Box 206, Whitby, Ont. Community Editor Contritaiting Éditor Production Manager Print & Promntionai KManager Ciassif ied Ad Circulation Manager -Brian Wiriter -jim Ousil -Marjo Burges -Robin Lyon .Lynn Wagrter -SharonLyOn Milng Permit No. 460 Member of the: Better Business Bureau of Torooo WhtityChamber of Commerce cul Council may "hold the Ue" -but we will Paty anyway One would almost think the election hadn't happened yet when we start hearing polîticians predictlng that they wlll be "holding the uine" ,on local taxes. The usual phrases have also been bandied about such as, "'ýwe'lIl bè going over the budgef with a -fine tooth comb", "we'll be separating the chaff from the wheatý", etc. etc. Weil,, needless-to-sayi if there's that much chaff in our budget it doesn't say much for previous- council's budgets - andi the maiority of our caunicillors have been there for awhile (iLe. Joe Drumm,'2 years, Jim Gartshore, 6 years, Gerry Emm, 8 yearsi Bob Attersley off and on for about' 10 years). Regardless of who's responsible for -the current *situation lt's veey obvlous that "holding .the.lune" Is no doubt a politically good thing to do. But.the question Ise IS IT REALLY IN OUR BEST INTERESTS? You don't have to be an economlcs ýmajor to realize we're sufferlng from lnf latlon..and If our costs a >re golng up (along wlth the rest of the world) you, would have to be Alice in. Wonderland to belleve that the Town of Whitbyscss rnt So assumlng that the councillors will get, a ralse iand we know that's alreadv been approved) it's likelv that one or two of the staff might alsowant a slight hike, not ta mention the Fire- Dept., Planning, Public Works, Recreation, etc. etc.- you get the picture. Weil obviously with the inflation r ate the way it is the only way the town is going to hold the Une on local taxes is by continuing ta cut back on -services. Now- let's see. ..we can't. cut. the'summer playground programs - did that last year; can't stop cleaning the snow off sidewalks - did that cut a fewyears ago; .can't cut back on road maintenance - been doing that too long and it's startlng ta catc1h up with us...oh dear this cutting tback business is getting ta be a real problemn - some where, around three quarters of a millilon dollars warth of problem. If we did away with the Library whlch casts> about a third of a million dillars a year and Iroquois Park whlch cost about a quartermillion we'd "hold the tax line" without any problems, but we really can't just take a couple big buck expenses and droptl6em just for the sake of a budget.* Sa we (or more speclfi1cal1ly, council) Ywil11 have ta look at othér, ways cOf reducing> services and giving you les$ for your tax dollars. On the other hand, council can maintain the level of services by raising, taxes ta accomodate' increased' costs,- OR -the other alternative is to encourage industrial growth. .Even these small businesses, often ioked about by somneBI1G CI1TY BOYS who use Whitby as a bedroom, contribute to the Whitby manopo-ly gamne at least one, anda haîf to twice the equlvalent. residential tax rate. So obviously ANY commercial influx- is good for Whitby. But his isn't news. What is news Is that council1 has, final ly recognized their failure to attract Industry and has coercedflor lack of a better worcI, sone* developers Into fuindlng an Industrial development drive. But before we thank aur lucky stars.for this Mannah f rom Town Hall1, stop and thlnk of WHOIs real ly golng to pay for thls, thinly dlsgulsed juggllng. gamne...the developers? Or do' you thlnk they will add this token 'make Whltby Council happy paymnent,' on totheir develapment costs ta be passed on to the purchaser's of their homes (Whltby residents)?" The moral of the story Is no -matter how you, cut It Whltby residents will pay now and pay later-.the only real questions ýare HOW MUÇH and WHEN.