Ao - Sunday News, January 10, 1982 EEE editorial page [Agee VIEWPOINT Collision course It is becoming increasingly clear that the provincial government is on a_ collision course with the electorate in a_ territory where the Socreds badly need every vote they can muster. The responsibility for that situation lies with Education Minister Brian Smith who may yet prove to be Premier Bennett's biggest political albatross. We refer to the suffering school taxpayers of Greater Vancouver who are being milked of far more than their fair share of education costs in order to subsidize school districts in the Socred hinterland of B.C. By far the worst case, of course, is West Vancouver where the average single-family homeowner last year paid $819 in net school taxes — a 70% increase over 1980, much of it due to the $400,000 West Van was forced to contribute to schools in the boondocks (where the average tax was $15). This year,‘ with a $1-2 million panhandling on the cards, the burden promises to be much greater again. North Van taxpayers are in a similar, if slightly less severe, plight. Over in Van- couver City the average 1981 tax of $312 is also set to rise this year by 25%. Protesting Lower Mainland councils and school boards have been told by Victoria that it’s “too late” for any relief in 1982 tax bills. But the mounting anger of their tax- payers suggests that the Socreds themselves -- facing an election within 18 months -- may be running out of time. On the North Shore Messrs. Williams, Ree and Davis would be wise to remember that their first loyalty as MLAs is to their con- stituents -- not to Mr. Smith's blind arrogance. Join the club! Okay. So 25 cigarettes a day give you a two-and-a-half times greater chance of dying before 65 than non-smokers.But if you're a trendy type, the sponsors of Cold Turkey Day, Jan. 13. (see story on page C4) have an even more persuasive statistic. Smokers are a vanishing breed. Already, 75% of Canadians (70% in B.C.) have kicked the habit or never had it. If you can’t lick sunday. news narth shore news 1139 Lonsdale Ave North Vancouver, 8.C V7M 2H4 (604) 986-2131 ADVE RTISING 085-2131 CLASSIFIED ; 986-6222 CURCUL ATION 986-1337 Publiaher Peter Speck Associate Publisher Editorin-Chief Robert Graham Noel Wright Managing Editor Andy Fraser General Manage: Administration Berm Hillard Advertising Director Enc Cardwell News Editor Chris Lloyd Creative Otrector Tim Francis Production Director Photography Rick Stonehouse tllsworth [Dec ks Accounting Supervisor Circulation Dtroc tor Barbara Koen Haan AE ths Purchaser Haye Me Cae North Shore News founded te UGH ad a Unepenedt COrerety svar wy tap renp rere pee) cpl Merc) arvcderr Spe Peer doste IN bart WE bea age eagpeh Ht thes bencrse Tae Act on prutbotiedd each Wome schy, and Sasealaay Gy Noo tt 4 y ‘ota e bee Mirena titel mpd cdeateitosterdd te, every boven cone Phares Naor th Subeciiptions 320 por year Entire Contentn 1961 North Shore Free Prees Ltd All rights reserved Tybee eee cored fda Matt bade pt tiene Nuaeritoene She ao erage pec epat abet, ry cc shee pes med pote Tog ern wt wot lee NS 98) Westeromilay 24 FAO Worraday SN’. THIS PAPER IS REC YCLABLE Best ‘gift’ was none at all! By WALTER BLOCK Sometimes, the best Christmas present is no present at all and we Canadians can thank our lucky stars that Chairman Pierre has been too busy with other matters to intervene more heavily in the economy. It was a near thing, however. Trudeau had been musing, again, about the “unfortunate” belief of Canadians in freedom of the marketplace and Senator Ray Perrault had _ been floating trial balloons on imposing exchange controls late last year. One of the pressures felt by the Liberal government before the introduction of the recent budget was “to do something” about: the high level of interest rates. A low interest rate policy was the fervent wish of homeowners, small businessmen and farmers facing mortgage rollovers at unprecedented levels. Happily, the government has not pumped up the money supply in response, at least so far; to do so would only increase future inflaton and future interest rates as well. There was a temptation, though, to intervene directly and to. artificially lower interest rates. But this would have been followed by a mass exodus of Canadian dollars to the U.S. and to other more receptive money markets. Interest rate ceilings would, therefore, have had to have been coupled with exchange controls in order to stem these “escaping” funds. (Under exchange controls, the mght of the citizen to take funds out of the country CALL A CAB: The bubbly flowed at Richard Haghes’ New Year party with a special sparkle) Earher on December 31 the Motor Carner Commission finally gave the green light for his “white glove” Cadillac taxi service to star up on the North Shore February | Hughes) Sunshine ( abs which has been struggling to get the MCC's blessing for a year (its already listed in the Yellow Pages). with be allowed 10 taxis for a beginning The new fleet will reach its) planned 25 car strength by next fall with five additional allowed Apmnl 1S July [S and the final five Ox