Haldimand's Unheard Voice: Haldimand "Haldimand County 100k Club"

Every Year Ontario Municipalities are legislated to make public any employee of a local Municipality that is paid $100,000.00 or more a year. This is the amount that is on the individuals T4 slip for tax purposes.

I have been waiting for the local newspapers to report these findings as I know that these numbers come out usually in mid March of each year. After reading nothing of this in the local newspapers I went to the Haldimand County website.

Here is the following information that I found from a staff report dated February 16, 2010, that was presented to Council on March 1,2010.

This report was received by Haldimand County Council on March 1, 2010 Recommendation #5, and passed by Resolution #57-10 on March 8, 2010.

Below is our Haldimand County “100k Club”.

I put in brackets last years numbers for salary earned in 2008. These numbers are what these individuals earned in 2009. First figure is salary and the second figure below is their taxable benefits.

This is also from the staff report; Each person to whom Haldimand County provided a 2009 T4 slip is considered an employee. For employees paid $100,000 or more, exclusive of taxable benefits, a “Record of Employees’ 2009 Salaries and Benefits” report must be submitted to the funding ministry, in our case, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, not later than March 5, 2010.

BOYLE DONALD CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
$156,666.48 $6,892.20 ($149,765.34 $7,053.00)

HANLY B. HUGH GM, COMMUNITY SERVICES
$128,490.84 $761.37 ($129,245.47 $880.18)

GENERAL KAREN GM, CORPORATE SERVICES
$140,863.34 $808.97 ($134,780.24, $954.74)

MANLEY CRAIG GM PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
$123,586.41 $743.78 ($120,588.68 $833.38)

RAE GEOFFREY GM, PUBLIC WORKS
$117,032.75 $701.89 ($111,357.17 $793.26)

MUNGAR PAUL MANAGER, ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
$102,759.71 $618.25

OAKES WRAY MANAGER, ROADS OPERATIONS
$103,258.29 $624.54

WITTIG DONALD MANAGER, FLEET & FACILITIES
$103,258.28 $624.54

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Haldimand's Unheard Voice: Haldimand "Dunnville are there any Unheard Voices Out there"?

Have you ever asked yourself any of these questions? Why should I vote? Will my vote really make a difference? Does my one vote really count?

Have you ever felt like an Unheard Voice?

Well I hope that in the upcoming months I can inspire you to go out and “Vote”, “Change the norm”, and “help you understand that your vote does count. Your voice will and can be heard!

I registered in early January as a candidate for Ward 6 (Dunnville) for the upcoming Municipal Elections that will be held this coming October. For some of you this may be a bit soon to be talking about an election that is months away, but for me it will probably takes months to get the word out on the street that I am running for Council.

I have heard so many people say, “When was that issue discussed”? “How come I never heard about that one”? “When was that open house”? “Why doesn’t anyone hold “Town Hall” meetings anymore?

I personally feel that we have a communication problem here in Haldimand County and it is not of our own making.

Our newspapers are weekly, so if you miss reading one paper you can miss very vital information that could affect you and your taxes.

Many of us do not get cable so we cannot access Council Meetings.

Many of us are still on dial up internet (I AM!) and cannot access vital County information because the files are too big and we get timed out.

Most of us are too busy to attend a Council Meeting.

And the most important communication problem is that currently there are no “Town Hall” meetings in the Dunnville area, in fact there are currently no “Town Hall” meetings anywhere in Haldimand County.

Can you tell that I am a big fan of “Town Hall” meetings?

I seriously wonder how a member of council could know what people are concerned about if they do not give residents a regular time and place to have their voices heard. Of course there will be some that will say that it is up to “You” to keep up to date on local issues.

I believe that “Town Hall” meetings are vital and necessary for the community. What harm can a meet and greet coffee night every say three months do?

Your Vote does count! Your voice can be heard!

Please feel free to post any issues that are of a concern to you here.

If you wish to contact me you can call me at 905-701-1627 or email me at dpitcher@sympatico.ca

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Haldimand's Unheard Voice: Haldimand "OPP Contract will Increase Taxes"

Donna Pitcher
Chronicle Staff Writer
December 9, 2009

Policing issues will not be a major issue in the upcoming 2010 Municipal Election. Once the OPP contract renewal is accepted by Haldimand County Council, it will not renew until 2014.

During the 2006 Haldimand County Municipal Election Campaign, policing services for Haldimand County was one of the major election issues.

Several councillors and candidates promised if elected they would replace the OPP, some opted to at least look into the issue. This option turned out to be a no option due to either lack of interest from surrounding agencies or the costs to the County to go back to their own force.

Negotiations have been ongoing since September 30, 2008 when the contract with the OPP expired. The new OPP contract will be for a five-year term starting on October 1, 2009.

The increase to taxpayers will be substantial states staffs report.

At last Monday’s Council in Committee meeting, Carl Butler from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) presented Haldimand County Council with an overview of the details related to the renewal of the current OPP Contact. Butler invited questions and concerns from council members in regards to the contract renewal.

One question was asked in relation to by-law enforcement. Butler clarified that the by-law enforcement that the OPP engages in is that of “police related by-laws”.

Under General Provisions of the new OPP contract it states;

“For the purposes of s. 10(6) of the Police Services Act, the O.P.P. shall provide police services to the Municipality, including the enforcement of mutually agreed upon by-laws. The parties shall annually review this part of the Agreement with a view to revising or updating the list of by-laws requiring O.P.P. enforcement”.

“Municipal Building Code violations overseen by the Municipality’s Building Code inspector and those by-laws related to animal control will not form part of this Agreement”.

The above OPP General Provision for By-law enforcement is exactly the same as the agreement that was signed by Haldimand County on September 22, 2003.

In 2008 the base amount for policing was $7,198,676.00, for 2010 there are two options, the first option is $8,307,976.00 (an increase of $1,109,300.00) and option two is $8,005,080 (an increase of $806,404.00).

The difference between Option #1 and Option #2, is, Option #2 is a reduction of 3,257 hours in the guaranteed minimum service level, which equates to less than 9 hours per day.

Haldimand County General Manager of Corporate Services Karen General is recommending Council accepts and enters into a five-year contract with the OPP at the Option #2 level.

Service levels Options #1 and #2 were presented to the Haldimand County Police Services Board on December 2, 2009 due to their responsibilities under the contract and per the Police Services Act.

Following the discussion the Haldimand County Police Services Board passed the following motion:

“That Haldimand County Police Services Board supports Option #1 and is not supportive of officer reductions as per Option #2 and this position be relayed to Haldimand County Council immediately”.

Both Haldimand County Staff and the solicitor disagree with the position of the Haldimand County Police Services Board.

The main issue of disagreement according to the staff report is that although Option #1 would provide an enhanced level of policing service beyond the “minimum” required level at a cost of over $300,000.00 per year. Given the economic challenges facing the municipality and its taxpayers, this is difficult to justify given the issue of bodies and hours as outlined in the contract, states the report.

The above increases under option one or two are substantial; a tax levy increase of 2.4% and 1.75% respectively would be required.

The report goes on to further state regardless of the service option approved by council there will be a significant levy impact to be absorbed in 2010.

This will significantly affect the ability to meet the target “2%” overall tax increase that Council has established as a budget guideline for all County Services. Staff will need to determine a means of dealing with this increase; a significant tax levy impact should be expected states the report.

Haldimand County paid an estimated $5,559,872.00 for policing in 2002 and when the contract was negotiated in 2003 the cost for policing was estimated at $5,847,954.00.

Haldimand County Council will vote on the OPP contract on Thursday December 10th at the Budget Meeting that starts at 9:30am.

http://www.dunnvillechronicle.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2212507

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Haldimand's Unheard Voice: Haldimand "Raise Your Voice, Stop the HST"

It seems that we are not being told all of the fine details when it comes to the “HST”.

Two good reads, one from Toby Barrett and one from the National Post.

Raise your voice to stop the HST

“Public hearings; those two words go together nicely if you believe in true democracy.”
– Dalton McGuinty, December 6, 1999

As Haldimand and Norfolk residents continue to send in petitions to stop the 13 per cent McGuinty sales tax, government’s cavalier approach to force through his costly tax grab has turned up the volume at Queens Park.

Two weeks ago, government members initiated a scheme to silence opposition to their $3 billion dollar HST tax using parliamentary tricks to limit debate and deny any form of real public consultation.

As I’ve reported previously the HST would mean a 13 per cent tax on many everyday essentials not currently subject to PST – items ranging from gasoline, to electricity; haircuts to internet service. Even funerals would be hit. For a middle-income family of four, the HST would mean up to $2,500 a year in additional taxes.

It’s clear your phone-calls, letters, and signatures on petitions, as well as other forms of protest, all are having an impact.

Recently, Mr. McGuinty bowed to pressure scrapping the proposed HST on coffee, newspapers and meals under four dollars. But, we must continue to push for further climb downs.

To that end, we in Opposition continue to use every tool at our disposal to register the concerns of millions across the province.

Government attempts to short-circuit parliamentary debate forced PC members to stage a much publicized walk-out from the Legislature. The empty seats of caucus members served as a reminder to a government of the disdain for the tax.

With government bent on pushing their agenda through come hell or high water, we in Opposition are left to do everything possible to slow this train down before it pulls out of the station

Especially worrisome has been the admission from Finance Minister Dwight Duncan that the McGuinty Government’s HST deal contains a $4.3 billion poison pill designed to handcuff future governments from ever repealing tax grab.

Clearly, instead of putting cotton in their ears, this government should be listening to what people have to say through full public hearings. This is a tax on just about everything, paid by just about everyone!

If Mr. McGuinty actually believes that this tax grab is in the best interest of Ontario families – he would have the courage to hold open public consultations across the province. Instead we learned on Friday that the government plans to hold only one day of consultation on Thursday, in Toronto – and nowhere else!

With all this in mind, and time to voice dissent running out, anyone waiting on the sidelines should make their voices heard now. Contact my office to get your name on a petition or learn of other ways you can make your voice heard.

Time is of the essence as many HST related concerns and issues are leaking out daily. Adding to already well-founded consumer apprehension are hidden details about this tax the current government seems content to obscure.

For instance, many don’t realize that under the HST, Ontario surrenders its constitutionally-granted taxation powers to the whims of future federal governments. Once the HST is enacted, fundamental decisions about what is, and is not, subject to sales taxes will be made in Ottawa, not in the Ontario Legislature.

Meantime, at time of writing, news broke of the Federal government calling for a vote in Ottawa for or against the allowance of provinces to proceed with a harmonized sales tax. We’ll see.

One public HST hearing…in Toronto…a joke – Barrett

Queen’s Park – Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett calls what the McGuinty government is proposing as public hearings for the Harmonized Sales Tax – one day, in Toronto – a complete joke.

“Here we have a government that is implementing a 13 per cent tax on just about everything, to hit just about everyone, turning around and offering one single day of consultation…in only Toronto…to serve as their acknowledgement of public input,” Barrett commented. “Legislation this costly, this taxing and creating so much opposition deserves to receive input from right across the province.”

The one day of hearings follows two weeks of government maneuvering to limit debate in the Legislature as well as Opposition calls for full public hearings on the issue.

The HST would mean a 13 per cent tax on many everyday essentials not currently subject to PST – items ranging from gasoline, to electricity; haircuts to internet service. Even funerals would be hit. For a middle-income family of four, the HST would mean up to $2,500 a year in additional taxes.

“While one day of hearings in Toronto can hardly qualify as public consultation, I do encourage anyone interested to contact the Committee Clerk to get their names on the docket and make their voice heard ” continued Barrett. “Perhaps if government sees the overflow of presentation requests they will think twice about turning their backs on the people of Ontario.”

Meanwhile Barrett noted that with time to voice dissent running out, anyone waiting on the sidelines to contact his office to get names on a petition or learn of other ways to stand against the 13 per cent tax grab.

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For more information, please contact MPP Toby Barrett at: (416) 325-8404,

(519) 428-0446 or 1-800-903-8629

An interesting article that a friend sent me! A Must Read!

Following is an interesting article from National Post about six details of the Impending Harmonized Sales Tax that you may not know about.

Lisa MacLeod and Cyndee Todgham Cherniak: Six things you should know about the HST
Posted: November 19, 2009, 9:30 AM by NP Editor

On July 1, 2010, the Ontario Government plans to introduce a new Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), which would combine Canada’s Goods and Services Tax and Ontario’s Provincial Sales Tax into a unified sales tax. The HST will directly increase the tax burden on middle-class Ontario families. Indirect impacts will drive up the cost of living further still.

What is most concerning are the hidden details about this tax that the current government seems content to obscure. Below, we have summarized the six things that Ontario taxpayers need to know about the HST before it is imposed by Dalton McGuinty’s Liberal government.

1. Under the HST, Ontario surrenders its constitutionally-granted taxation powers to the whims of future federal governments.

Right now, Ontario enjoys direct taxation powers granted under the Canadian constitution. However, under the HST plan, Ontario will give up its sales-tax powers to Ottawa through the federal Excise Tax Act. Once the HST is enacted, fundamental decisions about what is, and is not, subject to sales taxes will not be made in the Ontario legislature but will instead be made in Ottawa. It is not hard to foresee the day when a federal Minister of Finance could decide the fate of Ontario businesses when there is a tax dispute. It is also possible that the federal Excise Tax Act will be amended, regulations will be passed or administrative practice will change without Ontario’s input or approval, in which case Ontarians will become victims of taxation without representation.

2. Under the HST, it is likely that tax-included pricing, or hidden taxation, will come to Ontario.

Many of us prefer to know just how much of our money is actually being directed to government. Yet the moment Ontario joins the HST, an obscure piece of federal legislation kicks in that will allow sellers to conceal just how much tax you are paying on the products you buy. The taxpayers of tomorrow will be denied straightforward information that is taken for granted by taxpayers today.

3. There is no evidence that harmonized taxes work in other federal jurisdictions.

The McGuinty government promotes the notion that 130 other countries have adopted a “value-added tax” such as the HST. This is misleading. The HST represents more than just a single value-added tax — it represents a blending of sales taxes between two levels of government. No other developed country has successfully imposed a joint value-added tax at both the federal and state/provincial levels of government. (In any case, Canada’s federation is dissimilar from that of many OECD countries.) Ontario needs a made-in-Ontario tax regime that reflects the realities of the Ontario economy.

4. There will be hidden costs for Ontario businesses to comply with the HST.

Any business that has been audited will understand that the administrative burden associated with tax-law compliance is substantial. Any change to tax laws forces businesses to spend money to both understand the new regime and live up to their obligations under it.

5. Businesses might not reduce their base prices after implementation of the HST.

Unless the McGuinty Government also plans to restrict prices that businesses may charge, there is no legal obligation for any business to lower its prices on July 1, 2010. In fact, the HST regime includes unrecoverable HST costs that will be passed on consumers. For example, many businesses engaged in exempt activities (e.g., financial institutions, rental housing, nursing homes, etc.) will pay HST on what they themselves buy. Also, businesses with sales over $10-million will not be able to get 100% input tax credit on some of the HST it pays for at least six years. Over that time, the only other cost-recovery method available to them will be higher prices.

6. Once the HST is implemented, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to undo. According to the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the McGuinty Government, Ontario cannot opt out of the HST regime for five years without risk of massive penalties. No matter how disastrous the HST might be, Ontarians will be locked in to this dubious plan for a long haul.

National Post

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