PAGE 4. WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 2, 1985, WIITBY FREE PRIISS' IPublished every Wednesday whitby MICHAEL KNELL -Y MBNI.M. Publishiig Communlty Editor and Photography Inc. Phone6 ii-fi I VALERIE COWEN The Free Press Building. TownMicaelanubliher Editj 111 Brock Street North, SecondClassMai Voice of the County Town Michael lan Burgess, Publisher - Managing Editor P.0. Box 206,i Whitby, Ont. egistration No 5351 The ouly Whitby newspaper independently owned and iperated by' Whitby tesidents for Whitby residents. This isn't a "noissue"Releetion Election day Is six weeks away. So far, Its been a pretty quiet election notwithstanding the fact that for the first time since 1976 we are witnessing a race for mayor. It seems that in almost every election, many in- cumbent politicians remark that there are no issues to be debated. They also seem to imply that this lack of issues is reason enough to justify their re-election. We would like to refute this at- titude. There are a host of issues which should be debated in public before Whitby residents go to the poils Nov. 12. While the Town of Whitby did not raise taxes in 1985, both the Region of Durham and the two school boards did. Candidates for these three bodies should be prepared to address the issues of taxation and justify (especially if they are the incumbents) the need for more money from the taxpayer. OLALmNEW My wife and I lost our 17-year-old Siamese last winter, and were so devastated that we vowed never to have a cat again. Then we read a book by a flower- grower and a cat-lover in Cornwall, England - a man calied Derek Tangye - and we feit encouraged enough to go out and buy two Siamese kittens, brother and sister. It was my wlfe's theory that while two might not be cheaper than one, they would be good company for each other and they would be happler, when neither one of us was able to fawn over them. She was right, of course. They're half grown now and we couldn't imagine life without them. Shan, the male, was the runt of the litter, and we nearly lost him in the first two weeks. He had what can delicately be described as a congenital bowel defect, and two vets advised us to put him down. He owes his life to my wife and dally doses of minerai oil, and i think he knows if. In the beginning, his sister Lao was largerfthan he was, and as befits her sex, she has always been prettier and sleeker. Lao Is also more standoffish than her brother, almost timorous by comparison. Shan quite simply, is a thug. He is bigger than she is now, despite the problems In his nether region, and he has the nerve and acquisitive disposition of a burglar. Lao watches in horror, and retreats to us for comfort, when she sees hlm doing bad things, which Is frequently. She is just like a girl who once sat behind me in school, a goody two shoes. But it is the thug, Shan, who demands our affection, who winds himself around our ankles, who butts his head against us, simply to be friendly. What never ceases to astonish me is the in- dividuality of all living things. They both set up a chorus before meals, and both eat voraclously, but it is Shan who is the greediest. He is just as interested in getting under the kitchen counter in search of garbage after lunch as he is before it. They are hardly six months old, but they are distinct personalities, both appealing, at least to cat people. This newspaper would also like to point out that there is a great disparity between the taxation practises of the three levels of local government. While both the town and the region seem to be able to strike budgets that call for similar tax In- creases, It Is the education system that regularly demands the biggest Increase In the mill rate. We have never been able to determine why this Is, especlally when ail three bodies share similar growth In assessment and live in the same economic environment. Taxation aside, there are other Issues that should be debated this year. While there has been a general decrease in the number of people collecting general welfare benefits, there has been an increased demand for other social ser- vices, especially in the areas of homes for aged, family counselling and other services. Durham Region is largely responsible for social services jand yet it doesn't seem to have ail that much in- terest in resolving these sorts of problems. Something that should be an issue, but probably won't be in this election is housing. Ac- cording to a recent report submitted to Whitby Town Council, this community is not producing sufficient housing for lower and middle income people. While Whitby doesn't appear to have any problem producing houses that cost $100,000 or more, we don't seem to be able to build houses that are within the reach of people who cannot af- ford to spend that kind of money. While everyone is in agreement that solid, plan- ned growth is a major benefit to the town, one thing that has to be kept in mind is that Whitby is not a municipality totally populated by people earning $40,000 a year or more. Although we have the nineth largest per capita Income In Canada, that doesn't mean we're a town of millionaires. The Town of Whitby's Municipal Housing Statement has outlined annual goals for the development of housing that Is more affordable by the average person. Many of these targets will not be reached this year. Members of council should be asked how they would like to see these targets reached in the coming years. Development Is slowly changing Whitby's character as a town. White most of us would like to keep the small town Image, It may not be possible to do so If we keep growing at our current rate. If the 3,000 lots approved for development were built on and sold overnight, Whitby's population would Jump to over 50,000. We would no longer be a small town. We wouldn't even be a large town. We would be a small city. If Whitby is going to keep growing, then we have to decide how we're going to keep the Iden- tity we've fought so hard to keep. Surely that Is something to be discussed during an election such as this. There are also as many issues as there are residents of our community. Most of'us would like more information about something or would like the town, region or school board to look at a cer- tain problem we're experiencing in our own neighbourhood. Now is the time to air them. The only thing this newspaper can suggest is that every resident of. Whitby get involved ln this campaign. There are issues to be discussed and problems to be solved. But it is up to each of us to bring them to the fore.