Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 7, 2004, Winnipeg, Manitoba Wednesday july 7, 2004 City editor Steve Pona 697-7292 1430 Ellice ave. 774-4444 toll free 1-877-448-7788 family notices b6 City & District b1 Katz says barriers stay Public has right to an open police hearing up Dan Lett mayor can to change 1979 Deal with Portage and main property owners education report gets Little support a report from a highly touted provincial working group on education financing that was More than two years in the making has landed with a deafen ing thud in the Manitoba Legisla Ture. Not Only has the nip government rejected some of the working groups key recommendations out of hand but the organizations involved have refused to endorse the groups final report. Opposition critics charge the working group has been a resound ing failure and has done Little or nothing to Advance the cause of Tak ing the Burden of education financing off of property taxpayers. This has exploded on them like a firecracker said Manitoba progressive conservative Leader Stu Art Murray. The doer government is acting like the Keystone cops on this the ministers working group on education finance has been treated to a rough ride Over the past two months. Leaked in May a draft of the groups final report was leaked by the tory opposition. The Central recommendation from the working group a one per cent increase in sales tax to replace Revenue from the education Levy on property was seized upon by the opposition As evidence the nip government had a secret Agenda to raise taxes. In response Premier Gary doer was forced to reject the sales tax proposal out of hand even before he had seen a copy of the groups final report. Consistent with that position Edu cation minister Peter Bjornson said yesterday there would be no increase in sales or any other kind of taxation to relieve the Burden on property taxpayers. Bjornson said he feels the report is a Good first step towards untangling the Complex Issue of Educa Tion financing. Bjornson noted that in the past five years the nip government has enjoyed some Success in increasing direct support to schools which has helped hold the line on property tax increases. Optimistic although none of the organizations involved in the working group endorsed the final report Bjornson said he believes there is reason to be optimistic an acceptable solution can be found. Some of those involved in the working group Are More sceptical about the Tenor of future discus Sions. Carolyn Duhamel executive director of the Manitoba association of school trustees said the nip governments decision to reject some recommendations is not an encouraging sign. Duhamel said no limitations were placed on the issues that could be examined nor the solutions that could be proposed. It behoves All of us to take a hard look at this report in its entirety said Duhamel. We have to ask does it make sense is it credible if so Why can to we take a look at it. by Aldo Santin m mayor Sam Katz said he wont waste time or Effort on an ambitious plan to take Down the barriers at Portage and main and carry out a $10-million makeover of the famous intersection. Katz said that since some of the prop erty owners at the famous intersection refuse to allow the barriers to be removed the City is bound to honour the terms of a 1979 agreement to put up barriers when the underground con course was built. A Deal is a Deal and i can to change it Katz said referring to the 1979 ing the Competition he said did to make any former mayor Glen Murray was the driving Force behind the design com petition. Continued please see barricades b2 Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg free press a spectacular Blaze razed one third of a partly built seniors Complex in St. James yesterday morning causing about $1.5 million in damage. Blaze scorches seniors Complex construction site $1.5m damage to St. James development by Paul Egan a fire Early yesterday morning that razed much of a partly built seniors Complex was so hot that cars parked nearby caught fire and venetian blinds melted inside an apartment building across the Street. The spectacular Blaze caused at least $1.5 million damage to a planned 126-unit Central Park lodges seniors apartments development under construction just West of Grace general Hospital in St. James. Residents of two High Rise apartment buildings on setter Street had front Row seats for the 3 30 . Fire on Hal Lonquist drive. The seats proved a Little too close for Comfort. It woke me up ? i thought the Sun was coming up said John Kennedy 67, a resident of the nearby Victoria arms apartments. I said to my wife its going to be a Beautiful ? in fact the Light and heat Kennedy sensed came from the huge fire that engulfed the mostly wooden Frame of the four Storey seniors develop ment. One third of the development was razed. The other two thirds protected by a firewall that was left standing were damaged. The cause is under investigation by the Winnipeg fire paramedic service. Continued please see Blaze b2 agreement. Katz said that City Hall was foolish in holding an International design Competition with the barriers still in place. He said he wont be asking the design win ners to finish the Job. Why have a design Competition unless you know you have the ability to accomplish your goal Katz said. Stag Wayne Glowacki / Winnipeg free press Derrick Glasgow a Cadillac above incurred heat damage even though it was parked across the Street from the fire while blinds in an eighth floor apartment also across the Street melted. By Bruce Owen an arbitration hearing involving six City police officers put on leave after the 2003 Kevin Tokarchuk killing should be open to the Public a lawyer for the free press argued yesterday. Brent Ross said Winni Eggers have the right to know details of the hearing As the matter goes to the heart of the functioning and leadership of the Winnipeg police service. Ross said there is an allegation police acted inappropriately in that officers had information Tokarchuk had been targeted in a suspected gang related killing but did not warn him or his family. The Public interest in this matter is enormous he told provincially appointed arbitrator Gavin Wood. The Public through the Media has the right to be present in the clearest of Ross said barring reporters from the proceedings May also violate Canadas charter of rights and freedoms and the right to Freedom of expression. The six officers Are contesting chief Jack Swatski a decision to place them on administrative leave for six months last year. Its not a run of the Mill arbitration hearing Ross said. Continued please see police b2 ;