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lan Kirkby Chronicle Staff "This is a year of catching up," is how Waterloo Finance Commissioner Tom Stockie sums up the proposed 1988 operating budget which recommends a 28.5 per cent increase in expenditures. Taxes on a home with a 1984 market value of $75,000 will increase by $100. Senior citizens would be partially sheltered from the increase through a $50 grant. n yn us L oble ie o es oaidt nisinidiidan â€" Adoificnlih dcoidl. : sns The increased taxes are necessary to pay for capital projects such as a library expansion, a third fire station, a trail system for walking and an Uptown recreation complex. i t C in 3 gleeiny TA Nes 133rd Year No. 10 _""The estimates in front of council are too large, Marjorie Carroll responding to the preliminary budget to have to reduce that." â€" o Carroll said areas of expenditure such as the library addition and increased fire protection are inviolable, and she would personally not like to see the recentlyâ€"approved recycling program removed. "The only area we are going to be able to look at in any depth is the capital budget," she added. Capital projects, particularly those with a recreational purpose may be extended over a longer period of time â€" ‘per\':z;p_ss;ev.én or eight rather than five" The fiveâ€"year capital budget proposes the creation of a cityâ€"wide trail station by 1992 at a cost of $2,508,161. The 1988 share would total $300,000. Design of an Uptown sports comples, including indoor swimming pool, gymnasium and arena is scheduled for 1988 at a city cost of $166,700. The Uptown complex will be completed by 1992 at a cost of over $12 million. Other capital projects include additions to the adult recreation centre and outdoor soccer and baseball fields. A property receiving a $85.55 increase on a $1,000 residential tax bill will see $38.65 directed to proposed capital projects. Isobel Lawson Chronicle Staff The Waterloo County trustees flipped through two binders full of figures and explanations indicating a 1988 budget of $259 million, an increase of 18.7 per cent from last year. Trustees took their first look Thursday at the preliminary budget prepared by admiâ€" nistration. The concensus of Waterloo trustees is that the increase has to be brought down. Board chairman Elizabeth Witmer said her initial reaction to the proposed increase was one of shock. "It‘s obviously a figure that has to be drastically reduced. We have to look for a final figure that‘s in the area of 9.5 per cent to 9.9 per cent." Currently, a resident with a $75,000 (1984 assessed) home pays $736 in school taxes and $254 in regional taxes â€" both figures are common to all residents of Waterloo region with the same assessment. The same homeowner additionally pays $314 in municipal taxes, compared (Continued on page 3) Get ready: A year for catching up Trustee John Hendry would like the increase to be held around the 11 per cent level and trustee John Monteith is striving for an increase in the area of 7.5 per cent. "Realistically, we have to keep in mind You‘d think these young ladies are ready for the beach or something. Actually, they were about to compete in the second annual Dance Gala Danse Canada at University of Waterloo‘s Humanities Theatre Saturday. The five dancers (clockwise from top centre); Heidi Wade, Sara Paynter, Nicky Pates, Amber Dietrich and Tina Nabert, were representing the Bojangles Dance Studio from Waterloo. See page 5 for more coverage of the Kâ€"W regional zone heat. DANCING DYNAMOS A Fairway Group Community Newspaper there‘s a limit as to what the taxpayer can afford," Witmer said referring to recent announcements of increased demands from municipal and local governments. While trustees listened as administration present the packages, the real work will begin near the end of the month, when trimming will be done in earnest. The board expects Queen‘s Park to announce the education budget the first week in April. "Until you have that information it‘s difficult to fix)k at the budget in it‘s totality," said Witmer. According to a board timetable, budget discussions should be completed by April 12 and the budget accepted at the April 14 The 18.7 per cent increase includes increased capital funding and money for new initiatives, called white papers, which require an additional 188 staff members, said education director Gordon Jones. If the inititatives â€"moving from an large," said Mayor udget. "We‘re going Mark Bryson photo includes budget to a 1988 base budget â€" it would expect an increase of 14.2 per cent, or A budget of $248.8 million. Stripping away all capital cost projects would mean an 11.1 per cent increase. "These are daunting figures in daunting times," said Jones. Separating the budget into subsections, the single largest expenditure is salaries amounting to $180 million; $16 million more than 1987, said business superintenâ€" dent Al Ewasko. This represents a 10.2 per cent increase over 1987‘s approved salary budget of $163.4 million. The salary increase, which represents over half the total budget hike of $30 million, he said, is due in part to additional staff requirements for enrolment and comâ€" mitments to new programs from previous budgets. If the white paper initiatives are budgets. If the white pammnuvu are accepted, it will cost the an addition al $2.56 million in salaries. â€" 100 _An increase of 17.4 per cent, or $2.1 million, in employee benefits is due mostly subsections, to inflation and also to the extension of pension benefits to partâ€"time employees as required by government legislation, said Ewasko. Funding for equipment, furniture and upgrading of buildings and grounds is $11.5 million, an increase of $7.4 million from 1987‘s total of $4.1 million. Ewasko attributed the 176.5 per cent increase to the significant cuts to this area‘s budget last year, as many of the requests have reapâ€" peared this year. Witmer said the board will have to keep in mind the region‘s reputation for quality education when considering the budget. She expects the board will set as priorities the hiring of more secretarial staff at the schools and assure that student supplies are met. Hendry agreed with Witmer, that supâ€" plies and increased secretarial staff are priorities; however, he added the white nrofl will have to be closely examined ore any cuts are made. of