Residential assessmnent base has grown to 74 per cent.... Whi'tby needs more industry Whitby must attract more job creating in- dustry if it is to continue to enjoy growth and prosperity, Reg. Coun. Tom Edwards savs.' w Vol. in an interview witb the Free Press last week, Edwards said tbat in 1968, Whitby's assessment base was 64 per cent residential. BY 1978, 70 per cent of the town's assessment was resident wbile in 1985, it bas grown to 74 per cent. But be's afraid that substantial growth in isn't forthcoming. 111 don't see in the immediate future the balance of job producing assessment While he points out that one of the benefits of regional government was supposed to be a shared industrial base, 15, No. 12 Wednesday, March 20, 1985 24 Page@ e e he is afraid that the per- centage of residential assessment is just going to climb. Edwards says that planning officiais and other staff note that residential development produces tax income and other levies for the municipality. "But the dollars tbey produce don't produce jobs," he says. The councillor says that Whitby and the region should consider going back to the old in- dustrial credit systemn that was employed dwring the 1960's. Under that system, a developer had to create a set amnount of in- dustrial space before it could receive per- mission to bwild homes and apartrnents. "lIt- was a measure that produced jobs,' Edwards says. Residential, growtb also1 puts additional demands on the town for increased service sucb as garbage collection, public transit and recreation. The big tax dollars earned from in- dustrial property owners help subsidize these kinds of services. And if the town gets too heavy or lop-sided with residential assessment, then tbe homeowner will begin to pay ever in- creasing taxes. "If we- have the residents bere, we have to provide services for them," Edwards says, ..and tbat costs money." The long time municipal politician also says that Witby may be hurting its arrested five Osh area bri A Whitby m an has been arrested in connec- tion wlth a small ram- page in south Oshawa over the weekend. According to a spokesman for the Durham Regional Police Force, some seven businesses were broken into in the Bloor St. W. area of Oshawa and an estimated $20,000 damage was done. Police said that a number of vehicles were stolen whicb were then rammed into the garage bay doors of several businesses Champion dancers These three young ladies really showed their stuff at a dance workshop and competition hosted by the Dance Educators of America in Buffalo, New York, recently, placing f irst in the junior trio division. They are (f rom left to rlght): Shan non Cluff, 9, of Oshawa; Shannon Marks, 10; and, Alison Carr, 11, both of Whitby. Alil three girls study dance at the Inta Leja Studio of Dance and Performing Arts in Whitby. They wili travel to New York City this Juiy to compete in the national finals where they wili face dancers f rom 22 cities across the United States. This convention wili be heid at the famous Waidorf Astoria Hotel and ail three say they are excited about going. Photo Cou rtesy of the Studio of Dance and the Performing Arts Edwards chances at long termn prosperity because it bas been concentratiflg its efforts on the con- struction of higher priced housing. He notes that Whitby is building many $200,000 houses, but is not building as many homes for low and moderate income workers as it should be. And if these types of homes aren't built and occupied, there is a strong possibility that Whitby will lose potenr- tial job creating in- dustries. "We have got to have the $M000,O homes," Edwards says, "but we also need to produce the lower income jobs. "ln* addition, we have to have the moderate prlced homes for the people who will staff the factories." And if these homes aren't produced, Whitby could stffer from a depressed labor pool. "If we don't provide bousing from the moderate wage earner we're not going to have a skiled and unskilled, readily accessible, labour market and then we will lose job oppor- tunities," Edwards says. Higher priced housing "icertainly provides good assessment and belps pay the bis," he adds, "but what we don't have is a good supply of reasonable priced bouses for lower and middle wvage ear- ners, especially young married couples, with children." man 1for awa 'à alk-ins James William Phillips, 18, of 207 Pitt St., Witby has been cbarged with five counts of break, enter and theft; three counts of break, enter witb intent to committ theft; 10 cotants of mischief over $50; two counts of theft over $200; and, breach of recognizance. Police added that he was charged with breacb of recognizance after it was discovered he was out -on bail awaiting trial on similiar charges. Regi*on lowers tax hl*lke,' see page 3