10 Friday, January 20, 2017brooklintowncrier.com Reasons Behind the Season Our Councillor's Report by Rhonda Mulcahy North Ward Councillor, Town of Whitby mulcahyr@whitby.ca There's duck season. There's rabbit season. And then there's budget season. We can expect a Town of Whitby tax increase this year, hopefully lower than the initial staff recommendation of 5.8%. I could shower you with detailed numbers that are mind-numbingly boring, but the general idea is that the pressures at a municipal level are not subsiding. Council referred that initial number back to staff with a target of a 4.5% increase. It also recommended that staff show what it would look like to dip below that number. In other words, cut services. Only with this amendment did I support the vote on the target rate of 4.5%. I think it's important to see what cuts might look like. Indeed, I struggle with this number. We are in a difficult time right now. The MPAC reassessment has hit Whitby harder than any other Durham municipality. Most of Brooklin is facing 35-45% home value increases over four years. And while that is a huge blow to residents, it remains revenue neutral to the Town. In other words, the municipality receives the same amount from taxpayers regardless of how many homes go up or down in value. I've heard loud and clear from residents, complete with examples of those on fixed incomes lower than $40 k annually who pay over $10 k in property taxes. The only positive is that their reassessment indicates their properties are more valuable. Couple the property tax burden with increased household bills for hydro, gas and food and we all feel it. Consumer taxes are likely more than our property taxes but it's not as easy to see the bottom line. Property taxes are a sore spot. Mayor Mitchell said it well last Monday night when describing the levels of government. 70% of our funding comes from property taxes. Toronto's is 40%, which explains why their property taxes are lower. In some other countries, like France, municipalities receive federal funding to cover up to 95% of budgets. Generally, municipalities provide the most used and important services to our communities. Working within a responsible budget is something all municipalities struggle with since we provide a wide array of services. The Town of Whitby is in a good financial position as we carry zero debt, something the current council inherited from the previous one. But we also inherited an under-serviced fire department. So while we play catch-up and require a 1.5% increase for Whitby Fire Services, we aren't look- ing so hot to the taxpayer. Moreover, there's the plan-ahead factor. While debt free, we face tremendous growth, which will be a funding challenge. The Official Plan currently underway shows us what is coming and we can't bury our heads in the sand forever and expect to be able to afford the growth if we don't prepare in advance of it. I promised I would be responsible with your tax dollars. However, I recognize the new target rate will be unpopular. Any increased tax will be. Our options are few, which is why we've asked for what anything under 4.5% would look like in reduced services. Once combined with Regional and school board taxes, the increase to your property tax bill works out to approximately 2.5% overall. In Brooklin, an average tax bill of $6500 would increase by approximately $165. The budget is yet to be set. This is the rate currently targeted by council and referred back to staff. We are happy to hear your ideas, comments, and concerns. Gardening in January Blooming in Brooklin By Ken Brown The mass of blooms from the Christmas cactus are fading and giving the kitchen floor a pink polka dot look. Does sweeping up fallen flowers count as gardening in January? The amaryllis bulbs that were potted for Christmas are starting to put up their fat flower stalks while we search the cymbidium orchids for signs of bloom stalks. There are new seed catalogues everywhere and opening them is a daily delight. Soon I'll need to make some choices as there simply isn't enough room in the garden. Vegetables continue to be popular and those new pages now feature more vegetables than flowers. We could fill the garden just with different tomatoes, but as tasty as it might be, it could be a tad boring. To relieve boredom in your vegetable garden, try growing some of the 2017 All America selections, particularly okra candle fire F1. This bright red okra is produced on decorative plants with flowers that show its hibiscus family connection. It'ill stand out in your garden and make you scramble through cookbooks to find out what to do with okra. Tuberous begonias have grabbed my attention for the past couple of seasons, particularly the one I've tried growing from seed. There are two groups of begonias whose seed I'll be planting: the large flowered tuberous hybrids and the bo- liviensis types that have masses of tubular flowers and a trailing habit. They both produce lots of seed and I was collecting it all summer. I've grown the boliviensis seed a couple of times with great results and the large hybrids from purchased seed. Instead, this year I'll be trying my collected seed. I wonder what colours I'll get and if that seed is even viable. I start these seeds now because they take several months to produce good sized transplants. That's mostly due to the size of the seed. Begonias produce some of the smallest seeds. If you sneezed while handling it, you'd probably lose most of what looks like brown dust. Its size also makes sowing the seed a bit tricky. Getting this dust spread lightly and evenly over the soil can be a bit challenging. A bit of seed on the point of a knife blade can have several hundred seeds in it and they'll be much easier to grow if they're not crowded together. One trick is to mix the seed with fine sand and then sow the mixture. The seed does not need covering, just some light pressure to put it in good contact with the soil. After the seed is sown, I thoroughly soak the soil by standing it in a tray of water until the surface is wet. Watering from the top with even the finest nozzle will move the seed around, leaving it in a clump somewhere. Next, we need to get that soil warm around 24-26° C. Keep it moist by putting it under a clear plastic dome, like a baby lettuce container. It must also be under light for about 16 hrs a day. Once those seeds germi- nate, producing compact healthy seedlings will need intense light. Use standard fluorescent tubes and keep them within 3-5 cm of the seedlings. Light intensity drops off quickly over distance. They are tiny. It's tricky but actually not that dif- ficult and it's highly rewarding. It's also gardening in January. Ensure No Fire Hazards in Household Waste! The Regional Municipality of Durham, Works Department is reminding residents to be mindful of fire hazards in household waste. Heat sources can start fires when waste is stored, collected, transported, sorted and processed. Please be cautious when disposing of the following items: Ash from barbecue grills, smokers or fireplaces: Ensure ash is cold, completely extinguished and securely bagged in a 100% compostable liner bag before disposing of it in the green bin. Charcoal from barbecues: Ensure charcoal is cold, completely extinguished and securely bagged before disposing of it in the garbage. Cigarette butts: Ensure cigarette butts are completely extinguished before disposing of them in the garbage. For more information visit www.durham.ca/waste and click on "Know before you throw," or download the Durham Region Waste App.