The local share of the new hospital should not go on the residential property tax bill. Enough is enough.

Thank you for highlighting that the Provincial Development Charge legislation used to include provision for hospital growth. Ward 3 Councillor Keith Bird is right on the money; this is clearly growth related.

The Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital Charity Foundation does a great job of raising money. Those funds should focus on purchasing state-of-the-art hospital equipment, with business and residents continuing to support voluntarily, without an additional burden on property tax. Enough is enough.

In June, it is expected that the long-awaited Provincial-Municipal Fiscal and Service Delivery Review will be released. To communities like Oakville, which are required to accommodate provincially-mandated growth, it is essential that the reinstatement of provision, within the province's Development Charges legislation, for hospitals is one of the Review's recommendations.

Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn, as a former Oakville regional and local councillor, is well aware of this need.

I believe resolutions of council, the Chamber of Commerce, residents' associations and individual householders re-enforcing that this need must be addressed to the Provincial Ministers of Finance, Municipal Affairs and Health will assist our MPP advocate effectively.

The well-being of Oakville depends upon our locally-elected councils, municipally and regionally, not having to absorb further, what are clearly growth related and/or provincial responsibilities.

You will soon get notice of the final two installments of your 2008 property tax bill; reflect on what a further increase will look like and act immediately.

Ann Mulvale