For immediate release:
August 16, 2006

Barrett supports new deal for rural municipalities
Says ‘fiscal imbalance’ not solved by imposing more burdens and regulations

Ottawa—Under the backdrop of yesterday’s Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference, MPP Toby Barrett called on the McGuinty government to stop making promises, and to start making commitments on a new deal for rural communities.

Barrett reacted sharply to the Premier’s announcement that municipalities will be forced to wait another 18 months while the province studies the fiscal imbalance.

“Mr. McGuinty has been talking about the municipal fiscal imbalance for years,” Barrett aid.  “But, after three years in office, all we get is study, stall, study.

“We have a Premier that cries poverty for municipalities one day, and imposes expensive rules and regulations on them the next,” Barrett went on.  “He’s using the break and the throttle at the same time, with local landowners and ratepayers caught in the balance.”

A ‘fiscal imbalance’ occurs when a level of government does not have the appropriate resources to fulfill its responsibilities, in comparison to other levels of government.  Despite continually blaming ‘downloading’ for municipal hardships, the McGuinty government has become addicted to passing expensive new rules and regulations without compensating local governments and landowners.

“Next week we travel the province seeking input on the so-called Clean Water Act,” Barrett concluded.  “I anticipate we’ll hear lots about the increased costs for municipalities and landowners, but little in terms of compensation from Mr. McGuinty.”

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For more information:
Toby Barrett (519) 428-0446, or -800-903-8629