The following is an article from the Milton Canadian Champion by Christina Commisso.
Mayor raises slot revenue concerns at conference
Decreases in the Town’s slot revenue had Milton’s mayor, along with about a dozen others, raising their concerns during a provincial conference late last month.
Mayor Gord Krantz said he was very vocal about the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s changes to financial reporting, which result in an annual loss of $136,000 for the Town, during the 2011 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference in London, Ont.
“There are 22 municipalities affected by this and at this point we haven’t challenged the legality of it, or questioned the ethics of it,” said Krantz.
“Regardless of how they report, it shouldn’t have a negative effect on us.”
In July, Town staff voiced their opposition to the OLG reporting changes, which was supported by council.
Krantz also addressed the ‘heads and beds’ subsidy during the annual AMO event, which brings together representatives from 444 municipal governments along with provincial ministries.
Since provincial facilities, such as universities and colleges, hospitals and correctional centres, are exempt from property taxes, the Province gives municipalities a $75 per head/bed subsidy — an amount that hasn’t increased since 1987.
Pointing to the Maplehurst Correctional Complex, Krantz said, “It takes a lot of extra policing to look after a place like that. The subsidy is no where near as close as we spend (on extra policing).”
Krantz said the Liberal, NDP and PC provincial party leaders made appearances at the four-day conference and municipal leaders were eager to hear the parties’ platforms.
“We all know we have a huge deficit in Ontario,” warned Krantz of election promises.
However, asked if a change in power at Queen’s Park could put the recently-announced Milton hospital expansion in jeopardy, Krantz said regardless of which party comes out on top in the October 6 election, “they’re committed to going through with it.”
“I’m almost positive it (the hospital expansion) will move forward. Maybe it will move a little slower, but it will move forward.”
He said the next big-ticket item the Town has its heart set on is the Milton Education Village. “To the best of my knowledge, the latest statistics show the Province is short 40,000 university and college spots,” he said.
“We can help eliminate that shortage.”