PAGE 4, WEDNEgDAY, SEPTEMBER 12,1979, WHITBY FREE PRESS whiby wa y 'Published every Wednesday by M.B.m.Publishing and Photography Inc. Phone 668-6111 Volceof the CountyownMichaelan Burgess, Publsher Maa gEdtor1Te Free Press Building * 131 Brock Street North, fIe only Whitby newspaper independently owned and operated by Whitby residents for Whitby residents. P.O. Box 206, Whitby, On Schoolbus rip- off It would appear as though Whitby taxpayers are going to be ripped-off again by the Durham Board of Education. Last week's announcement by the board's transpor- tation manager that school busing will be phased out with the introduction of the municipal bus service Is another stab in the back for Whitby taxpayers, especially when the school taxes are to be raised again next year. That means that Whitby taxpayers are getting less service for more money. The Board of Education already gets 55 cents out of every tax dollar, what else do they want? The amazing point is that our elected representative Trustee David Sims seems to be in agreement with the announcement. At least, he has noticome out strongly against it. Mayor Jim Gartshore and Councillor Gerry Emm are perfectly right when they say this is "doüble taxation" on the part of the school board. The town and the region are practising cost consciousness and are trying to cut costs and keep taxes on an even keel but this does nof seem to be the case with the school board. The school board spends more money than the town and the region combined. It is the most expensive level of government. Granted that education is one of the most important functions of government today but does it have to cost so mich? Where has the school board cut dosts in the last few years? It seems that every year the school board needs more money for somethihg? Every time the teachers contract is up, the board gives them more money - right now the board's operating budget allows 78 per cent for salaries and wages. Where Is the budgetary restraint on the part of the board? Statistics report that enrolment is on the decline, yet taxes are on the rise. This is not consistant. If there are fewer students, less money should be needed. This is even allowing for inflation and rising costs. If the school board is going to stop the busing of students when the town service is Introduced, then the school board should forsake the tax increase or compensate parents for spending the $93.50 per child to get them from home to school and baké. If this does not happen, the taxpayer will be paying for the bus service which he is not receiving and then paying the rise in taxes. The school board will be getting money for nothing. If they don't provide the servie, then the taxpayer should not have to pay for it. The Free Press hopes that Trustees Sims and Spears are listening to this. Reader thanks Brian for work Dear Sir: I was very pleased to read Ruth Chambers' piece "the archives and Brian" as , it appear- red in the August 29 issue of ·the Free Press. As a member of the Whitby historical society that is the custodian of all the town of Whitby photo- graphs and other achival material. I was particu- larly interesiedsto learn for the first time of his donations to the archives when they were first organized in centennial year 1967. He has proved himself to be a most knowledge- able and generous member of our society - that has two main func- tions in the town of Whitby is custodian of the Whitby museum at Lynde House on Dundas St. West and custodian of the archives in the centennial building. Eugene Henry Charles Street Whitby Oommunity Editor Mike KneIl Contributing Editor -Jirn Quail Production Manager -Marj Burgess Printa&ePromotionat Manager 'Robin Lyon Ciassified Ad Caroie Bertin Mailing Permit No. 460 ,9 Member of the: Better Business Bureau of Toronto nt. Whltby Chamber of Commerce Pleafor helpfrom Field Dear Sir: In the springq of this , ar, the small commu- nity of Field (pop. 550), 34 kilometres north of Stur- geon Falls, Ontario was savagely devastated by raging flood waters of the Sturgeon River. For several days at the peak of the flood, 40 per cent of the town was submerged in more than 15 feet of water. About 200. residents were forced to leave their homes, and today, aIl that is left of this village is a rriass of contorted wrecks, laiden with inches of mud and clay, some rocked off their foundation. These flood evacuees have been making their homes In temporary hou- sing, as best they can, since late April. The Ontario govern- ment has been most sym- pathetic and generous toward the plight of the Field people. In early May, the government declaired Field and the adjoining townships di- saster area, and set up a fund raising comrmittee to which they would match every dollar raised with four of their own. We, the members of this committee,-have the monumental task of rai- sing $600,000 meet the estimated three million dollars in damage. The Field-Springer Disaster Relief Fund (en- compassing the munici- palities of Field Twp., Springer Twp., Caldwell Twp., and the unorga- nized townships of Crerar, Badgero, Gibbons, Pedley and Grant) is the key to the success of the township's and the government's plan to relocate the village a mile south of its present flood plain. Donations to the fund have recently slowed down alarmingly. We are appealing to your readers, Mr. Editor, to reach out to the people of Field> victims of an act of nature, by sending a contribution to FIELD-SPRINGER DISASTER RELIEF FUND P.O. Box 1030 ADDRESS LETTERS TO: THE EDITOR, THE WHITBY FREE PRESS POST OFFICE BOX NUMBER 206 WHITBY Sturgeon Falls, Ontario POH 2GO Your co-operation in this matter,' and your readers, participation in the restoration of the town, would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for this space in your newspaper. Yours Sincerely, Camille .Cazabon Secretary-Treasurer 4