by Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 23/97) - Though Tuaro Dairy is $50,000 behind on lease payments to the city, taxpayers are still ahead of the game, says businessman John Dalton.

But the former alderman, one of the driving forces behind a 1995 restructuring of Tuaro's financial arrangements with the city, was taken aback by news Tuaro has underpaid its lease for eight months.

"That surprises the heck out of me," said Dalton when informed a schedule of payment increases included in the agreement was not adhered to.

"I would have thought this was the one account that they, indeed even the mayor, would have made sure that things were ongoing and kosher."

Dalton said he still thinks the city is ahead on the deal.

"If the increases were taken when they should've been we would be so far ahead we would be laughing," he said.

"Are we ahead even now? Well, we've got the taxes paid. If they had declared bankruptcy we wouldn't have got the $91,000. We wouldn't have gotten the $75,000 from the bank and we would have been trying to lease or sell the equipment."

Dalton resigned from city council in January because of an NWT law that states an elected official must resign if he or she owes the city more than $500 for more than 90 days. He paid the outstanding amount, never disclosed, in full the day he resigned.

Tuaro owed $300,000 when then city renegotiated its lease in 1995.