PAGE 2, WEI)NESDAY, MARCFI 12, 1980, WHITBY FREE PRESS Regional taxes up 5.1 %forWhitby By MICHAEL KNELL Free Press Staff Regional taxpayers will have to pay 8.7 par cent more in 1980 according to Whitby Regional Councîllor Gerry Emm. Emm, a member of the region's finance committee, said, however, that Whit- by residents wilI only have to pay 5.1 par cent more to the region this tax year. Emni said that this equais about $2.98 for every $1,000 of assessment or $14.11 for every home and business. Whitby was fortunate in as much as sorne municipalities were hit as high as 17.1 to 19.1 par cent this year, Emm said. The reason for these in- creases in other parts of the region is because of the "4shift of assessment values to the rural areas frorn the urban, " he said. "There has been a shift of equalized assessment to the farm lands," he said noing that "land values have in- creased." Emm said that the region's net expenditures for 1980 will be $28,119,322 up from 1979's $25,140,155. The region's net expen- ditures are those that are paid for directiy through taxation as opposed to those paid for by development levies and provincial grants and subsidies. Emm said that the three largest areas paid for in the net expense budget are public works, social services and policing. The Durham Regionai Police Force is the largest item on the list. Its budget for 1980 will be $14,338,193 up .from $12,448,534 last year. Ernr, however, pointed out that $4,096,575 will be raised through per capita grants for the province so the taxpayers will only pay approximately $10 million for the police services. TJLhe police department was $283,747 over budget, Emm said. "Policing is a large part of the increase, " he said. Public works is the next largest net expenditure budget. That departrnent is budgeted to spend $6,289,3W3 of the taxpayer's money this year. Ernr happily pointed out that public works was weii under the 4.2 per cent spen- ding increase target the regional council had set earlier this year. Property taxpayers mouey will fund the social services department to the tune of $4,147,297 in 1980. Emm said that increases are expecte>d in this area because the increased welfare load that the depar- tment is carrying. Emm described the social services budget as "up sut> stantially." I"We have now completed the budget process," Whit- by's veteran councilior said adding that while al regional programs were reviewed "no programs were deleted and no com- mittee was hard hit. " "Each committee made their own adjustments, " he said. "No chopping was done by the finance committee and each department will have to live within council's guidelines." The finance committee will present the finalized current budget to regional council at their next meeting scheduled for March 19. "We will present the budget as coming in under t.arget, " (4.2 per cent iu- crease for each depar- tment), Emm said. He said that it is a "bard budget to corne iu with. " "I think it is a reasonable budget," Emm said noting that the region is suffering froni higher costs especialiy on the areas of materiais, labor and policing. "I'rn satisfied that this is a budget that was carefully looked at and is beneficial to the taxpayers and will give theni the level of service they have corne to expeet, " besaid. WPH, DCDH prepare for strike Should an illegal strike oc- cur aI the Wbitby Psychiatric Hospital or at the Durham Centre for the Developmefltaliy Handicap- ped, administrators have said that they wil prepare contingeiicy plans bo care for patients. «"Depending on how we see the situation developing, should we corne to the con- clusion that sornething will develop," Bull Fraser, ad- ministrator of the Durhiam Centre said iast week, "lwe shouid be discussing the care of residents in the facility." His prime concern is the care and welfare of the residents Fraser said, ad- ding that management per- sonnel would meet with the union prior to the strike to discuss ways of caring for the residents. Whitby Psychiatric Hospital administrator Michael O'Keefe said that his institution would foilow the same course of action as the Durhiam Centre shouid a strike occur. "A strike would be illegai, of course, and I still feel most of our employees would want to obey the iaw," he said. "But, yes, we would also meet with the union. " The 300 counsellors, chiid care workers and nursing assistan ts at the two Whitby institutions have indicated that an Wlegal walkout could be staged to back Up their contract demands. Represented by the On- tario Public Service Em- ployees' Union, they are among 6,200 other in- stitutionai employees across Ontario currently seeking a new contract. O)PSEU bas not dlscounted the poesibility of a walkout although il bas said that it will start a public awareness campaign and a lobby of govermnent officiais before that would happen. OPSEU is seeking a 27.4 par cent pay increase - similar to the settiement given to provincial jail guards, also members of OPSEU, aft.er they iilegaliy walked off the job last Deceniber.1 The province lias offered the workers a two year deal with wage hikes of five par cent and 4.5 per cent to replace the already expired one year agreement. 710 Wilson Rd. S.. 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