Efforts to stimulate growth in Wellington North were the impetus for a pending 40 percent drop in development charges.
That sure is thinking outside the box and not to be sneezed at out of turn. It amply illustrates the varying degrees of logic used in determining sensible levels of taxation.
We remain unsure how charges could be created and then exempted without a complete overhaul of the development charges bylaw. When a bylaw is established a great deal of time and effort goes into identifying the costs and needs as the township grows.
To say that as part of a stimulus package rates will drop for a period of one year could cause further questions later, more specifically in 2013 when the bylaw is up for a full review. Developers will ask whether or not the fees are based on need, or a comprehensive study or just a gut feel for what number sounds right.
Apart from any misgivings we have about their process, Wellington North council deserves a nod for at least attempting to think outside the box. They are not alone.
In the City of Toronto, scads of ideas are being floated to grapple with the ever increasing costs of government services. Cutting cops, privatizing garbage and other services are quick examples of the items up for discussion.
In Guelph, an exercise is underway to prioritize services and eliminate redundancies in service delivery. As we lamented in the last month or so, the difficulty of such exercises is judging one’s own work, but let’s give them a thumbs up for the effort.
It will be interesting to look back a year from now and see how successful these strategies were. Will Wellington North get its 35 new homes; will Toronto slash its deficit; and will Guelph do anything after putting the work into this latest project?
Proud of this industry
Notation is made in our business pages this week that I was recently appointed as a director for the Ontario Community Newspaper Association.
As was our belief serving in local politics for over a decade, accepting the call to serve is an opportunity to give back. Somebody has to help out, and we are glad to do that.
One of our freelance reporters dropped by the other day and after concluding our business she inquired what I hoped to accomplish in this new position. I’d like to see our industry renew its dedication to good journalism and community service.
Oddly, as new technology continues to offer opportunities for communication, the reliance of the public on Newspapers remains strong. As advertisers pour money into these new pursuits, and hype surrounds the latest website craze, community Newspapers, this one included, continue to be called upon to support community initiatives. And we do.
We greatly appreciate the businesses that advertise regularly. Granted, not everyone can afford to advertise, but little ads here and there add up to an opportunity for us to provide decent council coverage, News of interest, promotion of community events and more.
It all goes to prove our contention that Newspapers, which have been social networking for generations, have little to fear when it comes to the future. Change will always be a facet of life.
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