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2FOCUS-FEBRUARY2012DearFocus...MailboxDifferencebetweenMTOandMOEDearEditorIwouldliketorespondtoaletterpostedinyourDecember2011issueofFocusonScugog.Theletterx1cPortPerryisnotaplacewewillgox1dwaswrittenaboutx1capairofMTOofcersrunningaroundyourtownchargingpeoplex1d.Letx19ssetthestorystraight.Mr.Berryreferstotheseofcersasx1cMTOenvironmentalnutbars.x1dOtherthanthex1cnutbarx1dcommentiftheyweredoingenvironmen-talenforcementtheywereMOEenforcementofcersMinistryoftheEnvironmentnotMTOenforcementofcers.ForthemostpartMTOenforcementofcerslookaftercommercialvehicleenforcementintheprovince.Althoughtheyhavetheauthoritytostopanymotorvehicletheirmandateiscommercialvehicles.MOEofcersenforcetheEnvironmentalProtectonActonallvehicles.Theseofcerswereprobablycheckingthesevehiclesforproperemissionsequipmentrequiredbylawwhichmakesperfectsensebeingacarshow.Al-thoughtheyarenotmechanicstheyaretrainedinspec-torsasareMTOofcers.IftheywereMTOOfcerscheckingthesecarstheywouldhavebeenlicensedmechanicsandwouldhavebeencheckingforissuesthatwouldbeasafetyhazardtoallwhotravelthehighwaysincludingyourtownofPortPerry.MTOhaveafewofcerswhoareinfactmechanicsandinspectpassengercars.Thesex18licensedx19ofcerslookafterinvestigationsinregardstomotorvehicleinspectionstationsandalsopartnerwithlocalpolicewithstreetracingissuesandmodiedmotorvehicles.IvisitPortPerryonaregularbasisasabasssher-manandIloveyourtown.Itx19sagreatplacetovisit.Ihaveseveralfriendsandco-workerswholiveintownandsurroundingarea.PersonallyifIseeanytypeoflawenforcementwhetheritbepoliceMTOMOEcon-servationofcersetc.itmakesmefeelsafeandsecure.IhaveinfactbeenstoppedonLakeScugogbyDurhamRegonalPoliceandconservationofcersforaboatinspectionandtocheckmycatch.Ix19mhappytocomply.IfIx19mincontraventionofanylawIwanttoknowsoIcancorrectitwhetherIx19mchargedornot.Itx19ssoleymyresponsibiltytoknowthelawsregardingboatingandshingandIx19mtheonlyoneresponsiblewhenIx19mnotincompliance.Thisiswhytheyareouttherethisiswhyyouhavesuchagreattown.Iguessitx19ssafetoassumebyMr.Berryx19sderogatorycommentsthatheprobablyreceivedaticketforsomedefectonhisvehicle.WouldthatbethefaultoftheofcersorthevehicleownerHereferstohiscarasax1clegalhotrodx1d.Ifthatx19sthecasethenhehasnothingtoworryabout.R.S.EganBarrieOntFOCUSonScugogFEBRUARY2012BRIGHTIDEALIGHTSUPICEFISHINGourcoverScugogresidentJohnGalbraithtookthephotoonthismonthx19sFocuscoverunderthelightofafullmoontoillustratehislatestinven-tion-thex1cBite-N-Litex1dtip-upwhichisusedforicex14shing.Theingeniousdevicehelpsx14shermenonLakeScugogkeeptrackoftheirlineswhenontheiceatnight.Seestoryonpage16.Taxincreaseworsethanreported-shouldhavebeen43.8percentDearEditorIjustnishedreadingthelatesteditionofFocusonScugog.Itisalwaysanenjoyableread.Thetimelyinformationonpagetenx1cItx19sTaxSeasonx1dwasofparticularinterest.IhadtroublereconcilingtheyearlytotalincreaseswhichareshownasScugog36.6andUxbridge33.3.IaddedtheyearlyincreasesshownandarrivedatScugog43.8andUxbridge38.4.IfyouaddintheRegionalpropertytaxincreasesandMPACpropertyvalueassessmentsIbelievewearefastreachingthepointwheremanyScugogresidentswillsimplyhavenochoicebuttomoveawayfromthearea.Everyhouseholdisnotonlyhavingtocontendwiththeseunsustainableannualpropertytaxincreasesbuthavingtondmoneytopayforescalatingheatinghydroinsurancegrocerybillsetc.Nodoubtmanyresidentsarealreadyinseriousnancialtroubleandwillsimplynothavethemeanstocope.Anyonewhohaseverbeeninvolvedindevelopingandreningbudgetsknowsatoughnononsenseprofes-sionalapproachisneededtojustifyeverydollarpro-posedtobespent.Acultureofstrictcostcontrolenforce-mentmustbethemandateofeachandeverydepartmentandthereisnoroomforx1cwishlistsx1dparticularlyintougheconomictimes.SubjecttoanyacceptableexplanationitcertainlyappearsScugogTownshiphasbeenlivingandspend-ingbeyonditsmeansthesepastnumberofyearsandveryboldtoughandimaginativedecisionsareurgentlyneedednowtodrasticallycutcosts.Theindicatedreducedtaxincreaseof4.24municipalstaffandcouncilmembershaveindicatedasaprelimi-naryincreaseistotallyunacceptableparticularlygivenlastyearsincreaseof5.3.IcanappreciatethatthecurrentnewcouncilislikelyPleaseturntopage8MORELETTERSONPAGE4and8