From The Milton Canadian Champion – Letters to the Editor
Hospital levy should be rescinded; taxpayers engaged in discussion
Dear Editor:I read with interest the article in the January 20 Champion entitled ‘Hospital levy increases tax hike by 1%.’
Reporter Christina Commisso wrote that in a 6-5 vote Milton council approved a 3.58 per cent tax increase, plus an unprecedented 1 per cent tax surcharge to help fund the possible future expansion of Milton District Hospital.
Any 6-5 decision is a bad decision, and this one is no exception.
It’s little wonder that Mayor Gord Krantz and councillors Mike Cluett, Tony Lambert, Greg Nelson and Rick Malboeuf didn’t support the 2011 budget. The 4.58 per cent tax hike is more than twice the 2 per cent inflation rate estimated for 2011 by the Bank of Canada. The 2010 inflation rate was 1.7 per cent.
Worse, monies will be set aside for a hospital expansion that isn’t even in the Province of Ontario’s current health infrastructure plan.
Our community’s ability to absorb a 3.58 per cent tax hike, let alone a 4.58 per cent tax increase with a hospital surcharge, is doubtful.
We’re in tough economic times and seniors on fixed incomes, young families with mortgages and local manufacturers and retailers that create jobs and drive municipal assessment revenues are all at risk.
Very few will see business revenues or personal incomes rise 3.58 or 4.58 per cent this year.
A re-do is in order.
Re-open the operating budget and reduce it to inflationary levels.
It’s time to rescind the unprecedented hospital surcharge and engage taxpayers in an open discussion about its future.
Council should also request Queen’s Park to immediately include the hospital expansion in its health infrastructure planning and require it be funded through a public-private partnership, rather than using municipal property taxes.
John Challinor, Milton
Also…
Hospital tax levy tough to swallow
Dear Editor:This letter is in response to the 1 per cent tax levy approved by council for the hospital expansion.
At the time of planning for growth, where on the list of priorities was the expansion of Milton District Hospital? This should have been a top priority. How is the hospital supposed to cope with this new growth?
We already pay taxes to the Province for hospitals. Could money the Town gets from the Mohawk slots not go toward the hospital fund?
To me, there has been some poor planning shown by our governments.
Cecilia Thorpe, Milton
I couldn’t have written either letters better myself.
These letters represent the same comments that I have received over the past few weeks since the levy was approved. I dont think there is anyone in this town who doesnt want to support MDH and its expansion but they felt Council could have done a better job informing the public on the avenues to fund this reserve account.
Having a motion so late in the meeting, with no pubic notice or input isnt the best way to get the job done.
Saying that this council now has an obligation (those councillors who supported the levy said they would work hard at informing the public of future plans) to get this public process started.
Im a little ticked that this could happen so quickly after an election. Maybe some of them might think to themselves “its early, people will forget” and maybe they will. I know I wont forget.
I have a single income household (my wife is not able to work) and every penny counts and when my taxes go up, it makes me have to take some money out of another area of my budget.
I realize the town needs to do something but lets wait and see if Milton gets approval from the province before we start tucking money way. My big worry is if it doesnt go through, these same 6 people who voted for the increase will find something else to spend this money on.
Thanks Mike for speaking up for families in Milton.