THIRD AND FINAL NOTICE

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” This past week one of our readers came to me with a very interesting problem. For those that follow The Central may have heard through the grape vine that in the past we have helped many in time of need. When we had our offices at 82 Simcoe St. south, next to the OPUC. People that had been cut off or about to get cut off would come in to the office wanting to vent their frustration over the attitude of the local OPUC. Many times we sit them down offer them a coffee and calm them down. No one should be treated rudely and or disrespect them by turning off their Hydro over non-payment. I remember good old Gord Burnette the longest sitting OPUC public appointed Chair, before Nancy Diamond decided to incorporate the OPUC and take it out of the public’s control. Gord was a rough and tough Englishman. He would not put up with much. If you thought you could put one over good old Gord. He quickly put you in your place. Staff at the OPUC feared him but respected him as he was good to clients and upheld standards like no other. I remember him always telling me. When someone comes to you for help. Look at them in the eyes. Some day those eyes could be yours. I remember him always giving extension to those that could not pay their bills. He would not dare charge surcharges, additional charges and or administrative charges. Ever since those days I used Gord’s view of the world when it came to helping others. I remember people walking in and complaining. I would call in my accountant and ask for a cheque to be made. While we talked the accountant would walk over to the OPUC and pay the bill and come back to my office with a receipt marked paid. I did this many times. The word got around and I helped many through the years. I think this in part is the reason for our success as a newspaper. People truly appreciated the gesture. People always promised to pay as soon as they had the money. I would always tell them the same. No worries, when you have it. Just this week. Someone brought me a letter from the Region. The bill was a third and final notice of non-payment. The person had medical conditions that prevented him from working. He had caught COVID and could not continue in his minimum wage paying job. He has a family of four. COVID has left him an emotional mess. He is facing a financial situation like never before. One would have thought that Durham Region would have been more compassionate. Being the third and final notice would set off red flags that this person is experiencing financial hardships. The letter threatens that if the bill is not paid by a particular date that the bill will be sent to the Municipal Tax Office and charge of $50 administrative fee. The letter also warned of possible added charges by The Municipal Tax Office for processing. My eyes teared. Gords words echo in my ears. ‘THOSE COULD BE YOUR EYES’. How dare the Region threaten added charges. THE MAN CAN’T PAY....AFTER THREE TRIES...AND THEY ARE NOT RESPONDING..DAH. No, instead the Region instead of helping rather further push the man financially by charging and additional $50 dollars. Really!!! Then they threaten to ad his bill to his tax roll. Does that sound compassionate to your? Does it sound humane? The same region that many have wondered it we in Durham are not being over taxed. We pay, property tax, we pay school tax, we pay OPUC. We pay the Region bill in the guise of a water and sewer bill. Has anyone gone through the bill? We pay a substantial amount for water and sewage. Almost the same amount we pay for property tax. Have you ever gone over your OPUC bill? Same thing. Charge over charges and surcharges that when you truly analyze them they are nothing short of a legalized rip off. Delivery charges for hydro. Maintenance charges and so on. The employees at these facilities make in excess of 60k a year up to $275,000. Plus benefits. Gord I am sure looking down and shedding a tear. Then again Gord was not one to shed tears. He would be more of the type to be haunting me through my subconscious to do the right thing. Look into people’s eyes and show some compassion some humanity as those eyes that I be looking into some day may be my own looking back for help. We strive for world peace in a sea of injustice and unfairness.