Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - November 28, 2000, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press november 2000 local a3 City editor Steve Pona 6977292 features editor Margo Goodhand 6977292 amusement tax give Back helps Bridge stretch run by Bruce Owen Winnipeg amusement tax hit a sour note with local songster Danny Schur yesterday when he had to go cup in hand to a civic committee asking it reimburse him he collected through his musical the Bridge to help pay out standing councillors on the Protection and Community services committee voted 31 to give Schur Back the tax Money and Reaf firmed their position the City has to find a better Way to fund local arts groups instead of imposing the controversial 10 per cent amusement its Noble in but flawed in exe Schur said after the it Dampens the climate for investment in the kind of Industry in trying to Winnipeg is the Only City in Canada with an amusement tax on any for prof it performing nonprofit arts and cultural groups Are in the cultural policy review panel led by local lawyer Harold Buchwald found the tax an impediment to attracting entertainment to Winnipeg and recommended it be mayor Glen Murray has vowed to get rid of the but so far the Only move ment to replacing it is a motion by John Angus Norbert to redirect provincial video lottery terminal Rev Enue As much As million a year to local arts Schur said whats needed is a reasonable and passionate discussion at City Hall on scrapping the tax and f folding a More equitable and stable Way to fund local arts Schur said this Falls staging of the a Rock musical he spent nine years writing and was a Suc but that it left him with about a local investors helped contribute to the but the revenues from the 11show run at the Walker theatre Only amounted to Schur said he wanted Money collected for the amusement tax returned to the production so it could be put on better footing to go on the first Stop being and others like need your Marc Gallant Winnipeg free press accountant with wife says sons and three kept him demand High for first nations chartered accountants he left Reserve in the dust to write his Success Story by Katie Chalmers at George Merasty picked up and left the flying dust first nation Reserve in and headed for the Bright lights of accustomed to living in a House with a Wood stove and no running he was blown away by the towering buildings at Portage and the biggest building Back Home was a Grain recalls now and then you see the Triec and the number of lights i was absolutely Merasty came to Winnipeg to earn a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of which he completed five years for the past two Hes worked As director of finance for the Assembly of Manitoba he added yet another chapter to his Success on Merasty became the second first nations member in Manitoba to become a chartered accountant Rob Magnusson of Komg received his Ca designation two years and Dan Richard of the Exchange who passed the test last will Likely be Richard must Complete five months of work experience before receiving his designation next no official record is kept by the chartered accountants of Manitoba regarding first nations but Janice director of said Magnusson and Merasty Are the Only two known to have Ca design Over the past five at least 12 first nations members have obtained a Bachelor of com Merce degree at the University of according to Don director of accessibility and transition the government is putting in All this Money into the education of the first nations people and they like to see said whose pos secondary education was gov there Are Success stories out and in one of the demand is High for first nations chartered and i didst want to be on i see that a lot Back Home George Merasty the Supply is said who wrote the gruelling fou Day Ca exam three times before As government gives More funding to first nations More of them Are looking for help looking after their own he i love the he i was absolutely ecstatic when i found out i i called my wife to let her know Christmas came providing a better future for his two and three is what pushed him raised by his great whose Only income was her old age Security said it was difficult growing up on the his situation want his Mother was 18 and single when he was i didst want to be on i see that a lot Back he my wife and i have a there Well taken care and have a mom and dad something i never Schur told the adding he is attempting to put local people to work and stage events in underused City the committee members debated what precedent a favourable decision for Schur would set for other for profit groups grappling with the amusement but agreed in a 31 vote they should give the Money Back to the committees decision goes to the More powerful executive policy com Mittee for consideration and then on to the full City the dissenting vote was cast by com Mittee chairwoman Jenny who said reimbursing the Money would set a bad she added Schur would be better securing a Grant from the Joe free press Danny Schur not amused with municipalities want not pressure forced amalgamation to Cut costs unpopular idea in Rural Manitoba by David Obrien Rural communities Are Strug gling to maintain their population bases and hold on to key proves but theres no shortage of Politi there More common on country roads than Grain consider these numbers about 70 per cent of Manitoba one million people live in Winnipeg and that leaves 199 other municipalities to gov Ern the lives of women and children or one local government for every people on and roughly one politician for every 250 Cit that seems like a lot of but most Small town mayors and councillors oppose the idea of being forced to reduce costs through amal said Wayne president of the association of Manitoba municipalities new Brunswick and Nova Scotia have compelled some of Wayne their municipalities to merge to pro Mote efficiencies and lower Saskatchewan is considering similar Manitoba has no plans to compel amal although it encourages local councils to consider the option where a spokesman for the nip government i feel we Are Over gov said a councillor in the pm of but we dont want it amalgamation forced on the pm of located in South Western has a Reeve and six councillors for the town of Crystal City 400 people has a mayor and four politician for every 80 More than municipal leaders Are in Winnipeg for the associations annual which ends the title of the conference is partner ing for our emphasizing the groups desire to develop municipal part As opposed to forced Amalga i feel we Are Over gov but we dont want it amalgamation forced on us councillor in the pm of Louise Motheral weve seen whats happening in other provinces and we dont want it happen ing he if it amalgamation takes it should be because the peo ple want not because it was forced on the municipalities of Shell Mouth and Boulton amalgamated voluntarily a few years but there Are no other Merg ers on the Motheral people Are resistant to the idea of he the attitude seems to if it aint dont fix some Rural councillors Are also reluctant to promote mergers because they fear losing their elected he but with Manitoba Rural population base declining the pressure for Small jurisdictions to merge is Motheral some a municipalities have promoted efficiencies by sharing tax Revenue and capital costs on big ticket items such As water and sewage recreation and Road mayor Gary Hopper of the Pas told a panel discussion yesterday the Northern town supplies water to a neighbouring first nations shares the Cost of a cemetery with another municipality and entered into an agreement with other councils to share the Cost of a pro Gram to help Street councils have to be willing to Cooper he its worked for the City of Portage la Prairie has a water sharing agreement with the Rural which contributes 10 per cent of the property taxes on new construction in its Domain to the said Dale portages chief administrative offi and instead of building expensive new recreational the City rents a swimming Pool located in the Rural Lyle the annual meeting will debate nearly 90 resolutions dealing mainly with the concerns of Rural coun water and drainage Gopher and Beaver treaty land sharing of video lottery noxious property taxation in provincial Parks and other subjects Are up for the City of Winnipeg has moved a motion to compel the province to share a portion of the gasoline tax with munic when you make the right you feel at image our team of refractive along with our knowledgeable staff will provide you with total patient care during and after your corrective Eye before choosing corrective make an informed the difference medical arts 233 Kennedy Street my r3c 3j6 Tel fret 18003628711 email iplu8@mb.sympetigo.ta 9436287 ;