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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1989, PAGE 5 Yawns, like spring blossoms, grow under every nose. The whole backroom at the Legion Hall literall !Y bobo with stifling. Tonight is the Rotisserie Clubs annual Travelogue, a charity fund-raising bore-a-thon oe cproportions. of 1 Lucas Letterpress ex.hibits signs of boredom. And the working press, of which Lucas qualifies as a bona fide member (dscounting tautologies), have professional protection from boredom. In fact, Lucas is tlhinking of slipping into the men's room this very instant and taking a swig of boredomi antidote. But for some reason the speaker's drone catches bis attention. il.. we ca.n see this country," the speaker says, rising on tippy toes and pointing a finger at the fates in the south-east corner of the building, " is the- only true democracy in the world." He pauses for applause. None is forthcoming. Instantly Lucas is awake. 'That's right," the speaker says. "The only true democracy in the world." Lucas rifles through bis pockets, searching for the pamphlet he was handed at the entrance. "J.J. 'Bull' Aune, world traveler, oratory, journalist, speaks on'his latest trip te the south-east Asian Island paradise of Sockdologue. flustrated with breath-taking slides." Lucas looks up and begins afresh taking notes. Ris eyes narrow, bis nostrils flare, his breath cornes in short gasps. This is the journalist on the scent of a story. " . .. democracy," Aune says. "We think in termis of the secret ballot, and the right of every person to cast a ballot. But is this democracy? "In Sockdologue, every person gets involved in the governnient process. Every citizen is, in effect, part of the governiment. "Compare that, if you will, to developed democracies. How many vote elections? Thirty five per cent. Forty." The crowd stirs restlessly. This is too close to partisan politics to satisfy the sponsors, the Rotisserie WITH -OUR FEET UP by Bill Swan Club (Our motte: sit and rotate). The speaker senses the mood shift. "lut I did not corne here te, talk about North American politics. I use it only te, illustrate for comparisons." The speaker pauses, takes a sip of water. 'They have no vote. :'They have no elected assembly. 'They have no Supreme Court, nor courts of any kind. - "Neither do they have police." "A govermnent. they do have, but not in our conventional sense. Let me show you the next slide. It sort of shows what I mean." On the huge screen at the front of the hall there appears a picture of a crowd jammed into a full city 'This slide I took the last time the Sockdologue government changed. An élection? O, no! I told you they don't have elections. Perhaps I should tell you the process." Lucas hunches over bMs notebook, wetting bids lips. '"he issue over which the government changed hands was the neutering of stray dogs. One group on the island insisted that neutering of any animal violates its divine rights. "So one day, in ffront of government house, a group of protestors meet. They might be tan, twenty, hundreda in number. Wall, next thing you know, those with opposing viaws show up. They pair off -- one pro-neuter with one anti-neuter. Thosa laft over are known as tha m4jority of the victor. This group gets te chose either to, replace the govermnent or t ttel everyone te, go home. "If they replace the government; they march into the government offices and simply tak ove r. The government automatically resigns.' The slide disappears from the scraen; the house lights orn up slowly. Feet shufile; tickles cough. Finally, 'What about violence?" "Their culture doesn't accept violence. You won't find any hockey fans there." "Taxes?" "Governinent levies 'em. If people do't like 'em, they protest and take over. Simple as that." ":People must miss a lot of workjust to protest." "Protests are held every three or four yaars. Those change governmant. Other smaller protests operate the saine way. Say over movies. Or nudity. Or gay ministers. Abortion. Opposing parties just pair off. Then everyone aise goes off about their business." "And you say there is no violence?" "Theý key seems te, be the pairing off of opposite sides. You see, tradition holds that thé opposing pair must mate. For life. Furthermora, the couple is forbidden from taking part in any further protests unless both parties agree." "Divorce -rate must be sky high." I said they mate for life. Now on the matter of. .." The voice drones on as Lucas tip-tees out. He bas a deadline to meet, aller aIl, and he bas heard enough. It would be a poor journalist who had te soit through al of a meeting just to, get the hang of it. After ail, Lucas has bis professional pride. Hefty tax hie possibl By Mike Johnston It's still early, but indications are that Durham Region resi- dents'could pay a lot more this year on the Region portion of their tax bill. While acknowledging that a lot of variables are still unknown, Region. staff presented the finance and» administrative com- mittee with a preliminary budget showing a 27.5 per cent increase. "This is not a wish list, these are costs department heads have been holding back for years," said finance commissioner Jack Gartley. The 27.5-per cent increase does not include expenses for recycling and tipping fees paid to Metro for dumping, garbage at the Brock West Iandfill site. Gartley said the tipping rate, which now stands at $50 a tonne, is expected to be increased to at least $85 a tonne this year. "And we don't know the rebate situation," said Gartley. Durham bas received a $28 rebate per tonne from Metro in the past but is unsure whether the rebate will continue since Durham broke its ies with Metro. "If we don't get the rebate the (Vax) rates are really going to increase," said Gartley, who also had a warning for municipalîties. In thep ast,, the Region bas collected tM rebate from Metro and passed it on to the municipa- lîties. But Gartley warned that the Region should begin thinking of keeping aIl or p art of that rebate Vo put towards Durham's gar- bage needs. "Some one has Vo say it. It would be unrealistic if we geV the rebate and give it back to the municipalities,» said Gartley. In a report to committee, GarV- ley outl ined the worst-case scenario should Metro raise its tipping fee to $85 a ton and cancel the rebate. Hie estimated that garbage dis- Sosai costs would increase to 8.1 million from $2.5 million in 1988, translating into a tax in- crease of il per cent. "But if we geV a rebate the percentage (increase) would be negligible," said Gartley. For that reason he said Durham can- not finalize its 1989 taxes until Metro makes a decision. Gartley said growth is also a major reason for a tax increase. AIl departinents have proposed an increase in their staff to handle the increasing growth in the Region, said Gartl ey. Fie old committea that if a "hefty increase" is not approved this year, council is simply put- ting off tlhe inevitable until 1990. New Year , Another big ticket item indlu- ded in the preliminary budget is the policetdpartment budget of $38 . million for 1989 - $7.7 million more than in 1988. The department bas proposed hiring 101 new employees (73 constables, 23 civilians and five cadets); an additional $207,000 for overtime and court costs; $905,500 to annualize salaries of 42 new positions hired in the middle of 1988; and $1.7 million Vo purchase communications equipment, vehicles and other equipment. Inflation is also helping Vo increase the tax rate, costing Durham $3.9 million. There is also $1.1 million needed for further renovations to Fairview Lodge, and a $1-million contribu- tion Vo the Region's solid waste disposai site reserve fund. 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