Dunlop slams county spending, Liberal HST

Simcoe County councillors get gold watches!
By DOUGLAS GLYNN Midland Free Press December 29 2010
The HST (harmonized sales tax) has been a disaster and it will be the thing that brings the Liberal government down in the 2011 election, says Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop.

Describing the HST as “tax grab since Day One,” Dunlop said in a year-end interview that the tax “is impacting people of all ages and businesses large and small.”
“We are seeing the effects in our Midland and Orillia constituency offices,” he said. “There are a lot of people who, if they have a job, are just barely getting by because their hours have been cut or they are facing layoff.
“Many people are trying to come up with money for their children’s education are facing higher property taxes, hydro bills and so on. The HST is having an impact on their bottom line and the amount of money they have to live on.”
He said it is worse for people whose employment insurance is running out and who are having to turn to Ontario Works. We are seeing huge increases in Ontario Works. These people have to absorb those same kind of costs. They don’t write letters, but they come into the constituency office and many are in desperate situations.”
Asked about reports that between 2003 and 2008 Midland had the region’s highest incidence of attempted suicides by adults, he said:
“That’s not the Ontario we grew up in. When people try to take their own lives because there is no hope, that is a sad Ontario to live in. It’s not an Ontario we should be proud of.
“The reality is we have an economy that has caused people not to have work. The number one thing, by far, for any level of government right now is to create work; find ways to get jobs, create programs for the entrepreneur, for small business.”
“Having a job is by far the way of getting some self esteem and respect back in your life.”
He said it’s not just the HST that is impacting people’s budgets.
“What bothers me about politics at the local level is when somebody puts in a new tax you hear councillors or mayors say: “it’s only going to cost the average household $40 or $45. A lot of people just don’t have $45.
“The one thing I want to do in the balance of my term and, if re-elected, is to work as closely as I can with the municipalities. They have to be more hands on than they have been and more able to make decisions that really impact the pocketbooks of the average taxpayer.
“I have no problem at all with any municipalities going back to zero based budgeting, where every line of spending is checked.
“People having a tough time can be thankful that politicians, at least at the local level, are trying to spend money in a wise and efficient manner.”
He said it’s too bad the same can’t be said of Simcoe County Council.
“I find it almost comical that we have a tight economy yet county councillors recently got gold watches. I find it absolutely humiliating as a politician that those kind of things are going on.
“What’s worse,” he added, “is that the county has money to build a 70,000 square foot addition on the county building. Where do we get money now for this kind of nonsense? “Are they going to fill it with people?
“I’ve talked to many councillors. They say they didn’t vote for it. I think people need to know what’s happening down there. I’ve asked new councillors to keep an eye on what’s going because I don’t think the county councillors are running the show.”
Dunlop commented on number of other topics, notably the province’s Places to Grow legislation and agricultural matters.
“I find it astounding that the province dragged its feet for 18 months and now wants municipalities to provide their reaction to the proposed Places to Grow amendments by the end of January.
“I made a commitment to county council that if the government is not going to listen to them, I will, if we are successfully elected in October of next year, take that directly to the Premier. And we will correct it because I want to make sure that North Simcoe -and really of Simcoe County -is treated fairly on the growth plan.
“Our farmers are having a tough time.
“When Ontario farmers walk out the door in the morning heading to the barn or the tractor they are already at a disadvantage with their competitors.
“One of the problems we have is that Ontario farmers are competing with Quebec farmers are more highly subsidized.
“Ontario can’t seem to come up with an agreement that is more flexible or better for our farmers. I believe in helping farmers because when you give a farmer a subsidy they actually put that money directly right back into the local economy.”