Readers Comer Council moves to implement uniâ€" form tax rate in 2017, Champion, December 17 issue Dear Editor, Milton‘s rural residents received some good and bad news recentâ€" ly. The bad news is we will see an increase in our property taxes to eliminate the tiered system. The Uniform tax rate unfair RE: Council moves to implement uniform tax rate in 2017, Champion, | December 17 issue Dear Editor, I live in rural southeast Milton, where water, sewage disposal, pubâ€" lic transportation, sidewalks, street lights and yard waste pickup are services not available to me or othâ€" er rural residents, as we are not part of the town infrastructure. It is unfair that our taxes should subsidize those of urban residents for town services provided to them. Lets be fair. Provide rural residents with the same services as town residents, and | will gladly pay my fair share. Fred Featherstone, Milton good news? We should expect to receive the same level of services as ratepayers in urban Milton â€" a new sports centre and library, public transportation servicing the comâ€" munities of Moffat, Campbellville and Brookville, increased traffhic law enforcement. We should also expect a staff reduction at Town Hall, as the decision should result in savings of ? Dieagec? staff work hours ard costs related to administrating a tvwoâ€"tier tax system. Rick Malboeut‘s :rarrowâ€"minded viâ€" | _sion of ‘this town has. precipitated a motion which was. carried. It is wrong. Rural:resicents have disproâ€" portionately carriid:the tax burden and this is salt in he wound. Where was ‘the mayor when this motion was preserted? As the leadâ€" er of our town, | expect a more inâ€" clusive attitude, especially since ruâ€" ral councillors are, and always have been, outnumbered on council. I believe it is time for rural residents to explore the Municipal Act. Secedâ€" ing from the Town of Milton and joining the Townships of Puslinch or Guelphâ€"Eramosa is a practical opâ€" tion. They have rural based populaâ€" insidehaliton.com ‘It‘s time for rural residents to explore Municipal Act‘ tions and understand its concerns and culture. The extra revenue from the slots at Mohawk Racetrack would be icing on the cake. Milton is a town in name only. It has outgrown the need for a rural conâ€" stituency that is now a yoke around its neck. Philip VanAlstyne, Campbellville Local residents have their say on‘Miltor Town Council‘s December 2015 decision to move to a uniform tax rate, which would be rolled out in 2017. For more letters on‘thisbpic â€" and:many others â€" be sure to visit the Champion‘s website at www.insidehalton.com and click on the Opinion:tab. Unpopular decision ‘right and fair thing to do‘ RE: Reconsider uniform tax rate deâ€" cision, Readers‘ Corner, Champion, January 7 issue Dear Editor, I would like to respond to Peter Lamâ€" brick‘s recent letter asking council to reconsider its decision to move to a single uniform tax rate for Milton. The reasoning for bringing this moâ€" tion forward was not only to make our tax collection system more effiâ€" cient and cost effective but to bring fairness to the property tax process. Those opposed to our decision arâ€" gue that rural tax payers should not have to pay for urban services. Well, that works both ways. | It costs $ 1.6 million a year to mainâ€" | tain and snow clear rural roads. In rural ‘taxes, «we collect: just: over $500,000 a wyear for: roads, leaving a shortfall:of $1. million, which is paid for from urbin taxpayers. If the argument isthat rural taxpayâ€" ers should not ‘tave: to pay for urâ€" ban services,‘then urban: taxpayers should: not haveto pay to maintain rural roads that hey may never use. The impact:of noving: to a single tax rate will havean impact of $125 a year on ‘the werage: rural propâ€" erty. Should «we allocate the $1.1 million ‘snowâ€"ckaring: shortfall to rural tax roll,:therate for that same property «would increase by more than $250. As for the suggstion that we revisâ€" it the issue to allow deleâ€" gates to addres:council, | wonder, what purpose would this serve? We know the delegates will say, "We do not want you to raise our taxes." They will use the same arguâ€" ments that Counciliors Cindy Lunau and Colin Best used prior to council voting on the issue. Revisiting this issue would only reâ€" sult in more work for staff, incurring unnecessary costs and delaying the 2016 budget process. The end result would be the same. | Mr. Lambrick‘s final comment was that we "should recognize that the rural area sends the Town about $7 million from Mohawk slots."The amount is closer to $5 million, but what‘s a couple of million among friends? The truth is, that money does not come from rural ratepayâ€" ers but from Woodbine Entertainâ€" ment Group patrons, who hail from | urban Milton and surrounding | communities. The quarterly payâ€" ments are made to the Town by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corpoâ€" ration (OLG) for hosting a gaming facility at Mohawk Racetrack. The tiered tax system has been a local issue for 20 years. It was never | dealt with because previous counâ€" cils did not have the courage to adâ€" | dress it. This council did. We knew it would not be popular with the rural residents, but eight of 11 members of council supported the motion because it was the right | and fair thing to do. Rick Malboeuf, Ward 4 Councillor wm The Canadian Champion welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be no more than 300 vords. We reserve the right to edit, revise and reject letters. Letters must be signed with first and last name for publicaâ€" tion, and the address and the telephone number of the writer included for verification purposes only. Email you letters to editor@miltoncanadianchampion.com or send by mail to 555 Industrial Dr., Milton, Ont., L9T 5E1. F“'SEF!IES STâ€"SELLING IN Ccanaoa For u M oo . â€" ie 5 3 MILT ON esf. 1967 655 MAIN STREET EAST, MILTON www.gaillingerford.com $ 905â€"875â€"FORD(3673) IW | 9TOZ ‘pTt Auenuer Aepsiny1 | 2 Ey 2 wosuo}jeyapisu|‘mmm | NOIIWVHJI NV