Last year: B
This year: B+

Coun. Pickles's grade increased because he's been more vocal at meetings and his logic stands out.  For example, rather than simply closing down the Greenwood Library due to a ruined foundation and broken furnace, he talked council into putting $50,000 into a contingency fund so money will be available if repairs go ahead.  He spent the least on expenses and had an energy audit conducted on his home to see how he can personally reduce energy consumption.

Attendance: council, 16/16, executive committee, 10/10
Expenses: $4,512

PICKERING - Ward 3 City Councillor David Pickles is urging the provincial government to implement a new property tax rebate for seniors this year.

Coun. Pickles and Ward 2 City Councillor Doug Dickerson have been advocating for a reduction on the education portion of property taxes for seniors for years.  Coun. Pickles said many seniors in Pickering have been paying education taxes for more than 40 years.

He was pleased to see the 2008 provincial budget indicates seniors on low incomes will be eligible for provincial tax rebates to partially offset their porperty taxes.  Individual seniors who own their own homes will quilify for the credit if their income is less than $50,000 a year, and those earning less than $35,000 a year will receive the maximum amount.  Couples who are sniors and own homes will qualify if their joint income is less than $60,000, and those who earn less than $45,000 qualify for the full credit.

“It's what we've been looking for,” he said in an interview.

But, he want it impelmented sooner.  Rebates of up to $250 will begin in 2009 and will be increated to $500 in 2010.

“If this is the case, I would urge you to bring these measures in place for 2008 to provide assistance to residents who are in need of assistance this year, as well,” he wrote in a letter to Premier Dalton McGuinty and Minister of Finance Dwight Duncan.

As good as it gets.

The title of the popular movie starring Jack Nicholson is also an appropriate tag for Pickering's 2008 budget.

Sure, no Pickering resident is standing up and applauding a 5.9-per cent property tax increase.  It works out to about $60 more on your tax bill, if your home is worth $280,000.

But, at the same time, Pickering is in a pickle, as many of you are aware.  Almost three-quarters of its land, namely the Seaton and airport lands and the agricultural preserve, are frozen to development.

It's hard to imagine another municipality that's in a similar position.  And, with a burgeoning population calling for services and facilities, and the need for upgrades or improvements to existing buildings, roads etc., the money has to come from somewhere, and that means you.

"Zero sounds good and it reads well in the paper, but it's going to come back to bite you," Treasurer Gil Paterson says.

For a number of years Pickering came in at zero per cent, while in more recent times there have been hikes and even decreases.

Still, as Mayor Dave Ryan points out, Pickering's property taxes are the lowest of Durham's five lakeshore communities, at $1,064 for that same $280,000 house.

While the $18.7-million capital budget is much higher than it's been in recent years, it's worth noting that $5.8-million of that money, almost a third, comes in the form of government grants, which Mr. Paterson noted was the most Pickering has received "in quite a few years."

As it stands, the capital budget addresses some key priorities for the City.  These include the expansion of the Pickering Recreation Complex (supported in part by a grant), what amounts to saving the Dunbarton Pool with $1.5 million in renovations, and an $800,000 ice pad replacement at the Don Beer Arena.

It would be difficult to argue against these expenditures.

Kudos to several councillors for looking to their own expenses for cuts.  Councillors Bonnie Littley, Bill McLean and David Pickles managed to chop $14,000 from the budget.

True, this is a drop in the bucket of a $66.4-million budget.  But, at the same time, perception means a lot, and this shows they are making an effort to be less of a burden on the taxpayer.

Sunday April 20^th marks the beginning of Organ Donor Awareness week across the globe.  In Ontario alone there are over 1600 patients awaiting a life saving transplant. The sad reality is that probably over 1000 of them will die waiting.  Canada has one of the worst donation records in the world.  We can do better.

It's simple - sign your organ donor card, and let your family know your wishes.

For information on the Canadian Transplant Association please log on to www.organ-donation-works.org or for information on organ donation contact the Trillium Gift of Life Network at www.giftoflife.on.ca.

• Rouge Valley Health System has announced plans to close the entire 20 bed inpatient Mental Health Sservices in Ajax.
• All beds are scheduled to move to Centenary Health Centre even though the population of Ajax/Pickering is growing at the fastest rate in Canada and the population of Scarborough is static.
• West Durham will lose the services of 4 Psychiatrists.  There is already a shortage of Pshchiatric services.  Closing the inpatient unit in Ajax, may pose an even greater shortage as doctors move their services to Scarborough.
• Ambulances and Police will be spending their time tranferring Durham patients to Scarborough.  This will place extra demands on emergency services.
• The Ministry of Health has already approved expansion of the Ajax Inpatient Mental Health Unit from 20 to 29 beds.
• There has been NO CONSULTATION with mental health professionsals or community stakeholders regarding this closure.
• The Central East LHIN has requested Rouge Valley Health System to conduct a 30 day consultation period with community stakehholders and the general public after a board meeting was held, Friday, March 28, 2008.

• If you are a patient, family member, community partner or concerned citizen, please call Central East LHIN 1-866-804-5446 Ext. 218 or 1-800-267-8097

Come out and join us in the Village for storytelling, music & dance, crafts & food from around the world!

Featuring:
Hispanic Canadian Alliance of Ontario
Durham Tamil Association
856 Pickering Air Cadets
Zahra's School of Belly Dance
Significant Music^®-in Tacit Understanding
Devi Mandir
Pickering Ajax Italian Social Club
Canadian Multicultural Forum, Pickering Public Library
Heritage Pickering
E & W Art Academy
The School Alliance of Student Songwriters
Dorsey James
... and more to come!