A Message from - Doug Dickerson

Pickering Retail News - May 2008

By the time you read this, most of you will have heard that our local property taxes have increased for 2008. While the increase is nearly 3% less than last year, I believe every member of the staff budget team, lead by our CAO, Tom Quinn, and Treasurer, Gillis Paterson, along with every Member of Council, were committed to bringing forward a responsible budget significantly addressing some major capital projects. We have, along with our funding and user partners, given the green light to the Rec Complex Expansion; Dunbarton Pool Renovations; a heavy rescue vehicle for our fire department; concrete floor replacement in the Don Beer Arena; artificial soccer turf in Kinsmen Park; roads; sidewalks; streetlights, etc.

Through some good, tough and hard financial planning, I am satisfied to present a budget to you which doubles the City's spending on capital assets, accounts for the blown snow budget this past winter and manages to cut nearly 3% off last year's 8.79% increase. I, along with my colleagues, will continue to do the best we can to see the downward trend continue. We have achieved a great deal considering our dismal 0.05% assessment growth over the past year.

Next year, we ought to see a number of developments coming to completion whence the City will enjoy a fresh infusion of commercial taxes. While Pickering's residential tax will remain the lowest amongst Durham's five lake-shore communities, our future looks much brighter than theirs. Why? Because most of them are running out of developable land as they build out to their borders. In Pickering, some 72% of our lands are owned either by the Provincial or Federal Government. With the freeing up of some of that land in the areas known as Duffin Heights (Brock Rd. N. corridor) and Seaton, development will continue to grow our city for the next 20+ years. I should also point out that Seaton will enjoy some 54% of its lands in greenbelt or natural heritage state.

Kudos to my better half, Jo-Ann, and her team from our Royal Canadian Legion's Br. 606 Ladies Auxiliary who teamed up with city staff to do something special for Pickering's share in hosting the Ontario Special Olympics. What started out as a flag raising event soon grew as Jo-Ann contacted the famed Newmarket choir, "Voices of Joy", many of whom also have a disability, to share in the ceremony. Well, that has led to the Frenchmans Bay Public School Choir and the Pineridge Secondary School jazz quartet joining in as have the Durham Police Services, sponsors of the Olympics. Now we have a real torch run happening - the event keeps growing - and your best wishes for these special athletes and participants is payment enough if you would care to join in. Thursday, May 8th, 10:30 a.m. at City Hall.

I would also like to welcome Peter K. Wehrle, President of Indaco located at 813 Brock Rd., to Pickering. Indaco's products include Bag-To-Nature, household compost bags acceptable in all Regions. Their Pickering office currently has 16,000 sq. ft. being used for warehousing, distribution, chemical compound storage and lab. While their extrusion and manufacturing facilities are currently located in Scarborough, we hope that Peter will want to combine his operations here in the not-too-distant future.

On a final note, Jo-Ann and I had the great pleasure to meet, greet and welcome Jeffery Buttle, 2008 Men's Gold Medalist at the World Figure Skating Championship. Jeff came to Pickering at the invitation of the Pickering Skating Club to celebrate their 35th Anniversary. His skating performances held the Gala Ice Show audiences in awe; his wit, charm and personality not only do his hometown of Sudbury proud, but indeed all Canadians can be rightfully proud of what this 26 year old athlete has accomplished and we wish him further success in his quest for gold at the Winter Olympics in Whistler, B.C.