HawthorneVillager.com

I have received several responses to the email above. One from the Mayor of Burlington included his letter that was printed in the Burlington Post on February 24. I find the letter refreshing. It includes the suggestion to use hydro dividends as hospital capital.
http://www.insidehalton.com/opinion/col ... your-input

From the letter:
"Council needs to hear from its citizens to discuss options on how we might best fund the city’s contribution to the hospital.
At the moment, staff is recommending one option, financing all of it from property taxes. While this may be the option we finally choose, we need to hear from citizens on your views."

Don't wait for a similar letter from the Mayor of Milton in the Champion!! If you have opinions on how to fund a Milton hospital expansion, or how the hospital priority ranks with other capital projects, I suggest you email your elected Milton representatives.

The upgrade to Burlington's Joseph Brant Hospital is estimated to cost $300 million. Based on formulas and estimates, the Province would pay about $180 million. Locals would have to put up $120 million. It is assumed that the Region will pay half of the $120 - leaving $60 for Burlington.

The new Oakville hospital will need $200 million of local money. If Milton hospital total cost is $200 million, local cost would be about $80 million with half of that from Milton. The total for the required local hospital funds, excluding Halton Hills, is $400 million

These local funds would be borrowed, probably over a 20 year term. Fortunately there should be no need for extra taxes to pay off these loans. The Region is already collecting extra taxes that are no longer needed for GTA pooling - about $28 million for 2010 increasing to $41 million in 2013 and beyond.

The Region and individual municipalities need a plan - NOW - and it shouldn't be to simply raise taxes. I expect that the provincial minister would be more inclined to advance the timing of hospital projects if the municipalities could show that they are accumulating their share of the funding, and have a plan to repay required borrowing.