Friday, January 24, 2020 3 Brooklin Town Crier The Town's proposed 2020 Budget is scheduled for release on Monday, February 3, 2020. As an important part of the budget process, residents are invited to provide feedback on the proposed budget through the following opportunities: Budget Public Meeting When: Tuesday, February 18, 2020, 7 p.m. Where: Town Hall, 575 Rossland Road East, Whitby Residents will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed 2020 Budget prior to Council consideration and approval on Monday, February 24. Those interested in speaking at this meeting are not required to register prior to the meeting, but are encouraged to notify the Town Clerk of their intention to speak by emailing clerk@whitby.ca. Special Council Meeting (final approval of the proposed 2020 Budget): When: Monday, February 24, 2020, 5:30 p.m. Where: Town Hall, 575 Rossland Road East, Whitby Residents interested in speaking at the Special Council Meeting must register with the Town Clerk by 10 a.m. on Wednesday, February 19. Delegation Forms are avail- able online at whitby.ca/delegation and should be submitted to clerk@whitby.ca. For more information on the meetings, contact the Office of the Town Clerk at 905.430.4315 or the email noted above. The Budget Public Meeting and Special Council Meeting can be attended in-person, live streamed or viewed post-meeting through archived video on the Town's website. The proposed 2020 Budget will be made available on Monday, February 3, online at whitby.ca/budget and in-person, at no cost, at Town Hall. For more information, email treasury@whitby.ca or call 905.430.4300 x2232 Proposed Budget To Be Released Feb. 3 Whitby kicked off its 2020 budget deliberations process with its proposed budget target presentation. Whitby Town Council approved the recommended proposed budget target, which represents a 1.99 per cent increase on the total residential bill for Town services or $8.90 per month per household. (Based on the 2019 average assessment value of $470,000 as identified by MPAC Property Notice Assessment) The proposed 2020 budget target focuses on delivering the services residents rely on every day, while also preparing the community for future growth. The 2020 Budget Target Report is available online at whitby.ca/budget. Next steps are: February 3: Proposed budget for 2020 released online at whitby.ca/budget February 18: Public meeting for community input on proposed budget for 2020 February 24: Special Council Meeting for final approval of the proposed budget for 2020 "This proposed budget target will enable the Town to invest in the programs and services that touch our residents every day, like roads, parks and facilities, says Matthew Gaskell, Chief Administrative Officer, Town of Whitby. "It also takes into consideration how the Town is planning ahead. Over the next 12 years, the Town anticipates population growth of over 40 per cent; we need to be ready with the space and infrastructure we need for future generations of Whitby residents." To learn more about participating in the process and speaking at Council meetings, visit whitby. ca/delegation. For comments or questions about the budget, contact the Corporate Services Department at treasury@whitby.ca or by phone at 905.430.4300 x2232. QUICK FACTS Roads, recreation and parks represent the highest capital investments in the proposed 2020 budget. Only 9 per cent of all taxes the average household pays are property taxes and only 3 per cent of the taxes you pay go to the Town of Whitby. The Town's portion of the total property tax bill is 34 per cent. The Town is responsible for collecting property taxes on behalf of the Region of Durham and the School Boards. More than 80 per cent of participants in the Town's 2018 Community Survey reported that they felt they are getting "good" or "very good" value for their tax dollars. The next survey will be in the spring of 2020. Council Approves Budget Target Gus Brown and wife Eva recently celebrated the ground-breaking of his new dealership on Winchester Road in Brooklin. Situated between the medical centre building on the corner of Anderson Street and the Esso gas station on the corner of Thickson Road, this Hyundai dealership is the first of three he has planned for the site. The other two will be south of the first, all having direct access onto Thickson Road. The auto manufacturers for the other two sites are yet to be disclosed. All three will offer between 150 and 200 local jobs. Gus and his wife Eva moved to Brooklin 57 years ago to raise their two daughters. Today, both daughters are involved in his many dealerships. Through the Whitby GM Dealership, Gus Brown has raised millions of dollars for the cancer centre in Lakeridge Health Oshawa as well as supported minor sports and charities locally for decades. The CEO of Hyundai Canada, Don Romano, was pleased to turn the soil with Gus along with members of local and provincial government. "I've known and done business with Gus for many years and I am very happy for him and his wife Eva that they are opening a dealership in the town they love," said Regional Chair John Henry. Gus Brown Hyundai is on track to open later this summer and the planning process has already begun for the additional two Gus Brown dealerships. First of Three Gus Brown Dealerships Breaks Ground