Working with government. The Waterloo Region Home Builders Association has created several working committees that meet regularly with staff and politicians at all levels of government (City, Regional and Provincial). The committee members who sit on these groups all provide specialized areas of expertise to help advance the Associations position on various issues. We are very proud of the many Association volunteers who have committed so many hours to this worthwhile effort.

The topics tabled at these liaison meetings range from technical matters like lot grading approvals, input into planning policy issues, development charge review and general input into how government delivers services as it relates to our local home building industry. Currently there are committees established that meet monthly at the City of Kitchener, City of Cambridge, City of Waterloo, Region of Waterloo and the Grand River Conservation Authority.

How the candidates for governor see the issue

Minnesota's gubernatorial candidates have different reactions to the recent rise in residential property taxes. They also see different explanations for why it has happened. All of them agree, however, that property taxes are going up too rapidly.REPUBLICAN GOV. TIM PAWLENTY argues that about 30 percent of the increases since 2002 are the result of new home construction. His campaign spokesman, Brian McClung, also said that cuts Pawlenty made to local government aid in 2003 averaged 3 percent of city revenue and that many cities raised taxes well beyond that level."That said, local property taxes are rising too quickly," McClung said. "Governor Pawlenty has proposed putting a cap on local property taxes, but both Mike Hatch and Peter Hutchinson oppose that idea."Leslie Sandberg, spokeswoman for DFL NOMINEE MIKE HATCH, contends it was Pawlenty who "led the charge" to raise property taxes."Property taxes are the most regressive form of taxation," Sandberg said.

Missionaries get exotic birthdays

Billy said, "Look who's talking," reminding Rickey that he has asked for a few last-minute agenda items himself, especially when he needed a quick replacement for broken equipment.

As the sign says ...

Environmental activist Tess Karwoski received more lawn care than she bargained for in Ann Arbor, Mich.

What part of "Pesticide Free Zone" did they not understand?

That's what her sign said, so she was surprised to find TruGreen ChemLawn spraying her yard with chemicals.

TruGreen had recently acquired a company that Tess had hired to aerate her lawn and perform sprinkler work. Tess, the health policy director for the Michigan Environmental Council in Lansing, canceled the contract, according to The Associated Press.

Send stories for You Don't Say to steve@decaturdaily.com, or call Weekend Editor Steve Stewart at 340-2444.

City Council Adopts BB And Pellet Gun Ordinance

After much discussion whether or not to add BB and pellet guns to a city ordinance, the Canton City Council voted 3-1 in favor of the ordinance. The incident before we had someone shot out from the city limits and shot out into the county and shot up a persons home and we couldnt do anything about it because we didnt have a city ordinance, said Canton Police Department Senior Operations Officer Michael Echols. We need something to stop it before it gets to this point. When a person walks out into their yard or something and using a gun recklessly, we can stop it before someones life is threatened or property is damaged. Echols said the ordinance was originally written to protect life and property. We have nothing, except disturbing the peace, to stop even a teenager from shooting a BB gun that hits a neighbors window across the street, Echols said.

Citizens Bank Provides $25M Loan for Stamford Project

STAMFORD, CT-Citizens Bank, a division of Royal Bank of Scotland, has provided $25 million in construction financing for the Metropolitan, a planned luxury condominium project to be located at 1515 Summer St. here.

The project, currently under construction, is being developed by Seth G. Weinstein, principal of Hannah Real Estate Investors, a locally based property development and investment company, and partners Paxton and Ray Kinol of Stillwater Investment Management and Summer Partners LLC.

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