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2FOCUS-APRIL2015WemustseekanewmindsetDearEditorThefederalgovernmentgotthemessageadozenyearsagowhentheycutthetransferstotheprov-inces.Theprovincesfollowedshortlyafterwardandcutthetransferstothemunicipalities.OntarioactuallytransferredEducationandHealthCaretothemunici-paltaxbaseknowingfullwellthatitwasthesametaxpayerwhowaspayingthetaxesatallthreelevels.Infacttherealdeterminationofmunicipaltaxeswasputinthehandsofcountiesandregionsbygiv-ingthemthecontrolofpropertyevaluationwhilethemunicipalitieswithinthemonlycontrolthemillrate.WhiletheregionmustnanceeducationpoliceandreandHealthCareonlyyourmayorandoneotherelectedpersonhaveanyinputinthecontrolofcosts.Itsnowonderthatmunicipaltaxeshavegoneupmorethan50percentsince2002.Thepropertytaxlevelhastocomeundercontrol.Wehavealreadyhadamultiplelevelincreaseinthecostofhomesthathaveelevatedthetaxes.Municipalservicesofwaterandsewagehavegrownincost.Governmentshavemovedthecostofdevelopingtheseservicestothedeveloperwhohaspassedthemontothepurchasers.AnexampleofthisintheproposedDurhambudgetisthehiringof35additionalemployees.Anexaminationofemploymentpracticesinourcivilservicecouldprobablyeasilycut35employeesbuttheproposalistoaddthem.Thecostoverthelivesoftheseadditionalemployeesisestimatedtobeatleast35milliondollars.Wemustseekanewmindset.Wearenowseriouslyovertaxedandgovernmentshavetocutnotspendmore.Inefciencyandwastehavetobetargetsofadministrationsnottheirgoals.WilliamF.ShawPortPerryLetterstotheeditorMailboxSkateboardparkanawesomeprojectReLetterwrittentoSusieBollonregardingSkateboardParkinPutseyParkCaesareaDearSusieIjustwantedtowritetotellyouwhatawonderfuljobyouhavedonesincethisallbegan.Yoursuccesstoraisecommunityfundslobbyourtownshipforsuccessfulsup-portanddollarsandwow...theTrilliummoneyalso.Icantbelieveafteralltheeffortswhichhavetakenplaceandacceptedthatourmayorandcouncilwillallowthisawesomeprojecttobesquashedbyafewpeoplewhohavelastminuteconcernsandsomehownegotiatedthismeetingtoactasthoughthiswasarststepeffort.TheskateboardparkshouldproceedasplannedsoallofsportsactivitiesarekepttogetheratPutseyPark.TheFireHallmakesnosenseduetoparkingandvandalism.Itisunfortunatethatplanswerenotyetavailableandattentionwasnotdrawntowhatanincredibleartisticlandmarkmosaiciscomingtoourfourcornersinaddi-tiontoaskateparkIreallyhadnoideahowawesomeitwilllookandbe.Iamsohappyyoutookthetimetocomeoverandinviteustothisotherwiseunknownmeeting.Wehavenotbeeninvolvedreallyexceptforafewdonationsandtheoriginalsurveylongagobecausewearenotskateboarders.WealsoareabsolutelyopposedtoanythingatthePeaceParkbutitseemsthankfullythatthetownshipwouldalsonotallowthattohappen.Iamsoexcitedforyouandourcommunity.ItrulybelieveotherswillsharethispositiveattitudewhentheyseethecuttingedgeconcretebowldesignandIpicturearampasaniconwithWelcometoCaesareasomehowpaintedonitandaRegattaGrafttidesigncontestfund-raisertoo.TheresnoquestiontheparkshouldbeconstructedaspreviouslyapprovedandshouldremainatPutseyPark.TheTrilliumGrantstampsthewholeprocessandasCouncillorWottensaidtheshovelsarereadyforthespring.Thisisanopportunityofalifetimeforourcom-munityandthewordneedstobespread.LaureenBrownCaesareaFOCUSonScugogAPRIL2014KILIMANJAROADVENTURE...seepage34ourcoverWyattWilsonleftwithVentureScoutleaderWilCornealpicturedinfrontofMountKilimanjarothehighestmountaininAfrica.TheyclimbedtoStellaPointwhichsitsatanaltitudeof5739metres16404ft.abovesealevel.Seestoryonpage40.PhotocompositionbyJ.PeterHvidstenThumbsuptoruralmaildistributorsDearEditorWewouldliketogiveabigthumbsuptothewon-derfulruralmaildeliverydrivers.Ifyouarelikeusandfortunateenoughtostillgetyourmaildeliveredtoyourmailboxattheendofyourdrivewayyouwillknowwhatwemean.EvenwhentheweatheriscolderthanapolarbearsnosetheyfaithfullybringourmailbillsandchequesandourFocusonScugogmagazine.Oftentheyneedtoghtthesnowplowedpilesaroundthemailboxesjusttogetcloseenoughbuttheydoit.Itisappreciatedandifyouareruralletshelpoutbycleaningthesnowawayfromtheboxesforthem.NickElaineStevensScugogLine2MoreLettersonPage12