Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 21, 1996, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free March 1996 a3 Joe free press Thompson looks glum yesterday after admitting her Rollback scheme Thompson insists tax freeze to stay continued from a1 Thompson repeated that the budget was finalized and later Council did indeed set the Mill rate for 1996 that maintains property taxes at last years Many councillors questioned Thompsons ability to find the Money without reopen ing the were going to spend the rest of the year in said Harry Lazarenko who was against the proposed Well have to spend the entire year adjusting a budget that was never based in Lillian Thomas Elm who also opposed the Roll Back said Thompsons budget will Spring More leaks As Many of its assumptions prove Thomas said the mayor and her executive committee crafted a budget that deliberately underestimated costs and Over valued savings on several including revenues from land sales and privatization Cost overruns on Snow removal and the continuing tax assess ment As reported in the free press some of the 10 councillors who had voted for the Roll Back in january were calling for an end to the initiative after the Manitoba labor Board ruled last week the move was an unfair labor most councillors were also dumbfounded at the Speed with which senior City administrators found million in Reserve accounts which they previously claimed were untouchable to cover unexpected assess ment Appeal losses that Only last month threatened to blow apart this years budget and tax Paul president of local 500 Canadian Union of Public said he was pleased Thompson rescinded the Roll Back adding he is pre pared to talk with the City about eliminating inefficiencies and finding the Rollback would have reneged on salary increases promised in collective agree ments recently signed with which represents most civic and the cites mid dle talks with the five other civic employee groups Are moist said his membership will not reopen its contract to help Council find the savings it needs to balance the Brian spokesman for the Canadian federation of tax said abandoning the Roll Back will finally Force the City and its employees to solve the cites we prefer less arbitrary Mea sures and a More comprehensive Kelcey this will Force the City to work with its employees to realize Lon term Reform and eliminate inefficient Stefanson said the province had told Thompson that Over turning a collective agreement is a serious matter and that other cos saving methods were suggested to including achieving savings through con tract and control Ling overtime Thompson said she spent the past two Days discussing the situation with members of her executive which includes the chairmen of the civic standing committees and Deputy mayor Jae Thompson said she and Eadie concluded late tuesday night that they had no Choice but to rescind the an amendment to the motion to withdraw the Rollback put Forward by councillors Al Golden vital and requires the executive commit tee to cooperate with representatives of the seven civic unions to find the both the amendment and the motion were passed unanimous Public Confidence in City Hall has been badly said adding its important that All councillors and employees work together to make up the Thompson said she believed substantial savings could be found through vacancy manage ment not filling vacant positions but could not explain Why that approach want considered viable Thompson insisted that the City cannot afford the current wage rates and benefits for civic a wage Rollback was fairer to All she than laying off City staff and pos Sibly affecting programs and vehicle sales pick up Speed continued from a1 together with sales of Automo Tive parts which Rose per cent sales of autos and recreational vehicles were the fastest but mens clothing stores and women clothing stores took a with sales falling by 17 Pel cent and per cent respectively from a year Don president of the Manitoba motor dealers Assoc a said the Strong january Fig ures Are a Good indication of where sales Are it looks like were going to have a Strong Quarter because february looks like its stronger than Neufeld said the province May have bucked the National trend that had sales drop two tenths of a percentage Point More than in most North Ameri can models Lead sales in Chrysler and pm had a Good he and it Doest Hurt that the aver age age of a car in Manitoba is among the highest in Cana Manitoban spent just Over million in january on everything from new tvs and dishwashers to groceries and that million retail Trade sales raw sales by Trade group value of goods sold percentage change in january from january 1995 supermarkets grocery stores All other food stores drugs and Patent Medicine stores shoe stores mens clothing stores women clothing stores other clothing stores household furnishings appliance stores household furnishing stores motor recreational vehicle dealers gasoline service stations automotive parts general merchandise stores other Semi durable goods stores other durable goods stores other retail stores 10 17 4 source statistics Canada higher than in nine of 16 retail sectors reported stronger sales than in january no doubt about the Manitoba Economy is starting to said Bryan Walton of the retail coun cil of retail sales were among the strongest in Canada in 1995 and that has carried Over into Manitoba was one of Only two provinces where Consumers spent More last year than in the final tally for 1995 showed Mani Tobas retail sales grew by per cent As total spending hit Bil Prince Edward Island was the Only other province to top its 1994 rate with a per cent growth rate in women and mens clothing led the seven sectors in which Mani Toba sales that no nationally you just look at the number of chains that Are in difficulty and you can Tell who in Walton smaller food household appliance and furnishing stores and outlets Selling durable goods also reported lower sales in Jan uary compared to a year statistics Canada reported that National retail sales in current dollars ruse three tenths of a percentage Point to billion in the third straight monthly that growth was not enjoyed in All sales declined in january in British Prince Edward Island and the coverage requires annual registration continued from a1 under the old once a deductible was Manitoban would automatically pay Only 30 per cent or 40 per cent of the Cost of prescription the deductible was for those under age who paid 40 per those Over 65 paid and then Only 30 per under the new a family with an annual income of for will see its deductible go to from the current a but once that is the government will reimburse All eligible drug expenses rather than just 60 per the which will require All Manitoban to Register annually for take effect april the announcement of the changes want to have taken place until next Mitchelson was called in to make the announce ment yesterday after brochures with incorrect information about the Pha Macare changes were sent out to the brochures gave the wrong information on How to calculate the and said it would be applied Mitchelson said that in changing the the government has tried to ensure fairness so those in greatest need get the most protect even with the she Manitoba plan remains one of the most comprehensive and generous in the Sale estimated that out of families will no longer qualify for any kind of calling it a tax on the Sale said he already knows of constituents so hard pressed that they have to choose Between their heart medication and their food if we dont have people taking the right there going to be in that hardly a Way to save he Murray a Board member with the Manitoba society of Pha Macare changes effective april is example 1 married couple with two dependent children total annual income of current annual under new example 2 family of four living at the poverty line total annual income of current annual under new example 3 single senior total annual income of current annual under new example 4 single senior total annual income of current annual under new government covers 70 per cent of eligible drug expenses beyond this government covers 60 per cent beyond this government covers 100 per cent beyond this source nip said Manitoban Over 65 who have benefited under the old rules Are in for a for a joint family income of which is not a luxurious degree of the deductible is he that an enormous so people Are not going to qualify for any benefits at Al president of the Manitoba federation of Union also said older Manitoban will be hit its a mean spirited he the government talked of no tax increases and i think they have misled the Public it Doest sound like but it sure Sarah who spends about a month to treat her chronic was also annoyed that Shell now be required to make annual application for applicants must also give consent to Manitoba health to verify income data from Revenue Cana All the forms Are an invasion of but they also take time to fill she i find that Katherine whose annual income of Means her deductible goes to said mid dle class Manitoban will be Shoul Dering a larger portion of their medical As i feel were get Ting closer and closer to an Amer ican medical she the changes Call for two differ ent deductibles two per cent and three per depending on whether a claimants adjusted income is below or above income will be adjusted to reflect deductions of for a spouse and each dependent child under welfare recipients will not be affected by the change and will continue to receive full those currently enrolled in the lifesaving drugs program will continue to receive the same to ease the the Cost of eligible prescriptions purchased Between 1 and March up to and including the current deductible will be credited toward the new dining accessories and More the Oak by Iraq 779 Erin 7746646 109 1 125 income tax preparation hulls great annual Kavc Lii Prysi cent we specialize in tax returns of 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