PAGE 1)N l\\.\>lIL S 'S XII tIPRI'SS Preliminary budget estimates could be irrelevant: Munroe MORE THAN 50 MODELS e ACCESSORIES e FULL WARRANTIES TELEPH-OrNES UNLIMITED Whitby Mail, Whitby, 571-2010 By MICHAEL KNELL Free Press Staff The Durham Board of Education does not release its preliminary budget estimates because it could be full of irrelevant material according to director of education Ken Munroe. Munroe said that it was difficult to release any preliminary budget estimates because of the changing grants that it receiyes from the provincial government. In an interview in his of- fice last week, the board's senior administrator said that the budgetary pressures are greater on the board than on municipalities because it does not have as much flexibility. He pointed out that close to 90 per cent of the board's budget is devoted to salaries which are negotiated by the various unions representing teachers, janitors and other staff. Munroe said that the board faces wage increases of 9.8 to 10 per cent; in- flationary costs of 12 per cent; a 15 per cent increase in the goods and services purchased and increases in utility charges (heat, hydro, etc.) of anywhere between 21 and 40 per cent. The board also gets budgetary pressure from the provincial government to in- troduce special education for the gifted and the han- dicapped and to provide transportation and other services, he added. Speculation over the last two weeks has indicated that the board will spend 12 per cent more than 1980's $94.3 million giving 1981 a $105 million budget. When asked whether this was accurate, Munroe said that it was a "fair estimate." When the board's budget is based on the calendar year, information on grants for 1981 was not received un- til March 16. In 1980, grants from the Ontario Gover- nment constituted about 55 per cent of the budget and Munroe indicated that the board will receive "about the same general level of support in relation to the total budget." While the general public has not seen the preliminary budget work, Munroe said that trustees have spent some 200 hours on budget analysis. In fact, he believes that the general public would not be helped by seeing these documents. "In my view, preliminary estimates are just that and are not very useful to the public," he said. Unlike the municipalities, the board of education does not have a large capital budget and capital projects are funded from current operations. Munroe also pointed out that the board has decided to eliminate its debenture debt and, providing everything goes on schedule, will do so by 1992. The board has not issued a debenture since 1973. Despite the fact that the board will in all likelihood spend more than $100 million for the first time in its existance, Munroe said that there is little waste. "I describe it as lean, I don't think there is any juice," Munroe said. Report from Queen's Park By GEORGE ASHE, MPP (PC-DURHAM WEST) bd a Durham West election Cleanly fought, but... I felt it was appropriate to start this new series of reports with a post-election round up. Although I have taken the opportunity, through paid ads, in the local papers to say "thank-you" to the electorate of Durham West for their tremendous show of support March 19, I felt that my "thank-you" bears repeating. I will to the best of my ability and by my actions indicate to all residents of Durham West that the confidence shown in me was not misplaced. Generally speaking the election campaign in Durham West was a clean, hard fought affair. There was the usual van- dalism to signs, some of which seemed to be organized, but I think it safe to say that none of the candidates or their organizers were party to or authorized such actions. The weather, considering it was a Winter campaign, was ex- cellent. If there was one sour note to the campaign, in my view, it was the attempt by one of our weekly papers, namely the News Advertiser, to unfairly sway the voters of Durham West, particularly in Ajax, through a type of journalism best associated with the National Enquirer. The edition of said paper published the day before the election, hence no oppor- tunity to respond, printed several "viewpoints" I am sure they had for awhile, and an "analysis", with associated poor taste cartoon, by a so called "anonymous regional worker" regarding the defunct liquid industrial waste plant proposal. This kind of last minute attempt to sway the voter through fear did little to enhance the reputation of that particular newspaper, or its editor. I am pleased to say that as the elec- tion results bear out, the voters of Durham West, and par- ticularly Ajax, are above being influenced by this kind of journalism. As usual, the enumeration process was far from perfect. Many people were missed, and right up to and including elec- tion day potential voters were finding themselves dis- enfranchised. I would hope that in future, the system can be further refined to reduce considerably this kind of problem. As your re-elected representative at Queen's Park I will continue to work from my Queen's Park office and my Ajax riding office for the betterment of this province, this region, and most importantly the people of Durham West. Your help, guidance and support of my past and future efforts is very much appreciated. I a 1540 Dundas E . 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