Details of the Saskatchewan Budget
My first take on the 2007 Saskatchewan Budget:
- A New Parmicare plan for Seniors - No Senior will have to pay more than $15 a month for all precription drugs. This is the most significant expansion of health services for seniors in a generation
- New tax incentives for new graduates so that if they stay in the province, or move here from elsewhere, that the first $20,000 of income will be tax-free for 5 years for a total of $100,000 worth of tax-free income.
- The start of the return of the Children's dental program (I hope) with a targeted dental program for grades 1 to 7 in community schools.
- Keeping the University Tuition Freeze or a third year
- A $5 billion/Ten Year Plan for Highways
- Continuing to cut business taxes
- Continuing to have the lowest sales tax in Canada
- Providing property tax relief
This is one of the most left-wing, socially progressive budgets that I have ever seen from this government and it obviously an attempt to shore-up left wing support leading into an election campaign.
8 comments:
Wow, that is absolutely fabulous. If only we could be that lucky in Ontario. Way to go, Saskatchewan. I might move there yet, but it is soooo brutal in the winter.
Oops, 9% increase in spending.
You forgot the $701M deficit part, and the 7.5% increase in spending vs. the 1.5% increase in revenues.
Cheers,
lance
The Sask Party and their mouthpieces ALWAYS say that the NDP a running a deficit when they are not.
here is what TD bank had to say about last years' budget
"In the “have” province of Saskatchewan, the combination of a fast-growing economy and soaring commodity prices helped the government to balance the books for a 13th straight year in fiscal 2005-06"
13th straight balanced budget.
Tell me, where did TD bank get it's anaysis wrong Lance?
Sorry, link isn't working
http://www.td.com/economics/budgets/sk06.jsp
Uh huh. I guess the Dept. of Finance counts as "conservative mouth pieces".
From the Greensheet (available at gov.sk.ca)
Summary Statement of Surplus (Deficit):
Estimated 2007-08:
Summary (Deficit) Surplus $ (701.3)
Hint, brackets mean negative.
Cheers,
lance
Don't forget an increase in the net debt of 1 Billion dollars. This frightening level of irresponsible spending is only rivaled by that of Grant Devine.
Check back for my next post wherein I completely debunk this ridiculous claim of a deficit budget.
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