PAGE. 6t WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7 e 198 1, WHITBY FREE PREÇ Municipalities should be more responsible: Bennett By MICHAEL KNELL Free Press Staff Ontario. Minlater of Municipal Affairs and Houslng Claude Bennett was literaily on the hot seat at lasL week's meeting of Durham Reglonal Council. Bennett appeared before council i an ef- fort to explai the future relationship between the provincial govern- ment and regional and municipal government. Now that municipal affaira la no longer a part of the Miniatry of Intergovertnent.al Af- faira, the minister said that issues conoerning local goverrnments can receive a higher profile. Bennett, himself a former municipal politU- Pop People Pop CASE 0F 12-30 oz. BOTVLES $499 & dep. CASE 0F 24.10 oz. BO1TLES $449 & dep. cian i the City of Ottawa, said that there wlil now be "a one win- dow approacb" tW muni- cipal affaira. "If tbis ministry la to work effectively and ef- ficiently, iL wlll be because of the co- operation of regional governent, municipal govermnent and county government, " le sald. The miniater also told reglonal council that he has plans for intro- ducing legisiation for a three-year municipal Lerm as well as strengtbening the Municipal Conflict of In- terest Act and intro- ducing a new Planning Act. Bennett, MPP for Ot- tawa South, told council that tbe provincial government will live up Wo iLs financlal commit- ments to the municipail- Ldes. Reglonal Councillor Bruce McArthur (Oshawa) asked the minlater why does the provincial government appear to be cutting back on financial sup- port for programs tbey imitiated. Bennett replled that iL la not bis Intention to getý into a new program and then start cutting back financial support after a two or three year perlod. "If the progam.is no longer beneficial, then the program should be done away wlLh," Ben- nett sald. "'AlLer ail, we 655m4521 BROWN'S F OODMA STER BROOKLIN 8:30 arn to 16:00 prn Except Thurs. & Fri. Nights til 9 pm amb une ervi la o 723-5232. Classifed adar seil c'ai are not living ln 'the greatest of Urnes as far as wealtb la con- cerned." The long-Urne Ontario cabinet member said that IL la not bis inten- tion, at this Urne, to "Section 86"1 ail munici- pailties in the province. "SecUion 8611 la a part of a provincial act that implements the equalized assesarnent for property taxes. 0f the elght Durharn coin- munities, only Whltby, Oshawa and Ajax have declined to be included in the provisions of "Section 86. " Regional Councillor John Aker (Oshawa), Chairman of the finance cornrittee, urged the minister to consider in- roducing a piece of legisiation that wiil give municipalities the authority to charge lot levies to developers. WhUle Bennett said that he wants to see such legisiation, it is doubtful that it would be introduced before the fail of next year. He said that a "coin- mon ground"l has to be found for a lot levy structure. "IL is important to have a piece of legisia- ion that defines the lot levy," Bennett said, ad- ding that what la needed la "da plece of legisiation that clearly defines what lot levies are al about and what they're for."' He also rejected on- the-spot a suggestion that the region's developinent depart- ment should be scrap- "I have not sane- tioned and I wilI not sanction that kind of amendment," he said. Recently, Whitby Town Council lias criti- cized the provincial governinent for making municipalities pay the full fee for vehicle licen- ces. Ben.nett said that he wil reconsider this. policy especially for police and fire vehicles. "We wil look at the situation again,"I he said. Beninett also indicaLed that the municipalities could look forward to a better working relation- sbip wlth the provincial government.