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TORONTO - Today John Tory, Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, questioned Dalton McGuinty on why no action had been taken to balance municipal delivery of services with the ability to pay despite the over 100 municipalities that have passed resolutions asking them to speed up the review. “Three months ago, to much fanfare, this government announced the Provincial-Municipal Fiscal and Service Delivery Review,” said Tory. “Three months have passed and we have heard not a peep from the Premier or his minister. No terms of reference, no membership of the review committee, no announcements of any kind.” On August 14, 2006 the McGuinty government announced the Provincial-Municipal Fiscal and Service delivery review which will not be completed for 18 months, until after the next provincial election. Since the last review almost ten years ago the cost of delivering Municipal services has increased substantially. The Association of Municipalities of Ontario now estimates that the gap between municipal transfers and the cost of social programs is over $3 Billion. Ernie Hardeman M.P.P. for Oxford and Progressive Conservative Critic for Municipal Affairs created a private members’ resolution, which was passed in the Ontario Legislature, calling on the McGuinty government to complete the review expediently to avoid hitting taxpayers with large unsustainable tax hikes. Over 100 municipalities, including South-West Oxford, Woodstock and Norwich have passed resolutions which state that the review is needlessly drawn out. The resolution also says that the review “…should be completed much more expediently, in order to avoid hitting taxpayers with unsustainable property tax hikes or significant reductions in service.” “The Ontario Legislature made it clear and now municipalities have also made it clear – 18 months is unacceptable, the Provincial-Municipal review needs to be completed much more quickly,” said Hardeman. “Ratepayers can’t afford the tax hikes or reductions in services just so the McGuinty Liberals can avoid a difficult election issue.” - 30 - |
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