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PAGE 12, WH[TY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6,1l99 GST recommnendation will 'victimize homeowners: ODREB Whén it cornes to hiring the Deaf, seeing is believing. 271 Spadina Road, Toronto, Ontario M5R 2V3 416-964-9595 (TDD) 416-964-0023 THE CANADIAN HEARING() SOC WJY FOUNDATION ± to A recommendation made by the foderal government's finance comniittee will victimize Durham Region's current and future horneowners, says the Oshawa and District Real Estate Board (ODREB). The committee has suggested. the proposed goods and services tax (GST) at a rate of five per cent on "increased consuniption" every tfime ahomeowner moves from one residence to another at a higber price, regardless of the. circunistance surrounding the move. 0W win "Imagine moving from Bow- manville to Pickering in order to be dloser to a job in Tor onto," says ODREB president Dave Tonkin. "lie homeowner may move from a bouse costing $160,000 to a $220,000 home, payingz five per cent tax on the $60, 000 difference. "The federal government bas labeled this price difference 'in- creased consumption.' The GST is supposed to be a tax on con- sumption tbat rejects the notion of taxing savings. We, in organ- Irein eer. Yes, you can be Santa Claus at The Oshawa Centre. This year we're featuring a "Wish Tree" for needy children. It's ail part of Oshawa's "Gift of Christmas Toy Drive" for under-priviledged children. We invite everyone to buy a gift put it under the tree, and make thleir dreams corne true. And the "Wish Tree" isjust one of the charity events we're planning as a gift to our community Happy Holidays from the Oshawa Centre. A Cr,<Iad ninfty Nrwspaper RADIO 1390 AU Duirharn's Voice. by Choicel j q q 'p~.< *.~.5 ~ J ~ ee~3 «~dt~~~W ~t '~d a~wi~a r~U~uqri~ a~ wol.q s~c~ a~r\'T J À ized real estate, believe that equ.ity in bornes is a formn of saving s for most Canadians," saysTonkin. First-time buyers would be hardest bit, having no current consumption from N$licb to trade up, -but who would stili be required to pay the five per cent tax on tbe new home biesays. "Taxing bousing Ïor first-time buyers could preclude any oppor- tuiyfor thèni to get into the makt," says Tonkin. "Wbat bappened to finance minister Michael Wilson's early commitment that the GST would not be allowed to prejudice 'the reasonable opportunity for home- ownership that Canadians would otherwise have enjoyed?» The (ODREB is concerned about the long-term efTect of this trade-up tax as the saine homes in Durham- will be taxed over and over aain - most- likely with the rate of the tax increasing as' the GST rate increases. In October, with delegates from ODREB, the Canadian Real Estate Assoication passed a reso- lution urging the government not to introduce the GST until its current deficit reduction prograni is revamped to place greater emphasis on expenditure control rather that incrased taxation. eqmipment. stolen Thieves who broke into a Whitby business made off with Office equipment worth thou- sands of dolars, including a fax machine. Durham Regional Police report. that sometime before 8 a.in., Thursday, Nov. 30, thieves garned entrance to International Lacrosse, 111 Industrial Dr., unit 22, by prying open a sliding window near t he front door. According to plice, tbe cul- prits stole a. fax machine, a pbotocopier and a computer sys- tem. The incident is still under in- vestigation. A reduction of Up Sto 24 per cent of M uni cipal solid1 waste can be achievedj through recycling Inewspapers, glass, jcans and plastic Ssoft drink containers. Accidentý dlaims iffe Snowfall on Thursday morning last week claimed pne life. At around 8 a.m., Nov. 30, Sylvia Ann Crowley, 20, of Hilîs- dale.Ave., in Oshawa, was invol- ved in a minor single-moto-rei- cIe accident on Th ornton Rd., south of Winchester Rd., near the Whitby/Oshawa border. Durhami Regional Police report that Crowley was walking on the south side Winchester Rd., west of Tbornton, to get assistance, wben a westbound vehicle stop- ped to assist ber just over tbe crest of a hilI. .Wben the dirver of another vehicle, Anthony Manning of Oshawa, came over the crest of the hill and saw tbe vehicle st9pped on the road, be attemp- ted zopass the vehicle. In doing so, he [ast control on the slippery road surface and struck the pedestrian. 1Crowley was taken to Oshawa General Hospital in critical con- dition with multiple internal in- juries. She died Tbursday night. No charges have been laid. Durham Regional Police say there *were a total of 76 minor accidents and 12 personal injury accideâtaàin the teg in between. 6 i--~and noonon Thuraday. The Oshawa Centre 1 1