MLA Report From
OPINIONS
OPINIONS
OPINIONS
Nancy Heppner
Page 14 - JUNE 9, 2016 - martENsvillE mEssENgEr
programs
Keeping
Phone: 306-668-1093 Email: [email protected]
objectives
Saskatchewan
68-1093
Email: [email protected]
ne: 306-668-1093
Email: [email protected]
multiple
Budget Tough On
Everyone
The
2016-17
Saskatchewan budget was
not easy for many. The
admitted deficit shortfall
of $434-million (based
on $14.02 billion in
revenues - $968-million
less revenue than last year
- and $14.46 billion in
expenditure) was just the
start of the story.
This figure did not
include the extra $1
billion in borrowing for
capital expenditures that
will have to be repaid.
Nor does it reflect
Saskatchewan’s
public
debt that will increase
by $1.3 billion to $14.8
billion by the end of 2017.
The past two years
has seen some of the
fastest rising debt in
Saskatchewan history, at
a time when the budget
shows oil, potash and
uranium revenues as
being stagnant. Economic
growth in Saskatchewan
in 2016 is predicted to
be .5 per cent - thirdworst in Canada and only
marginally better than
2015’s minus 1.4 per cent
GDP growth.
Notwithstanding Finance
Minister Kevin Doherty’s
bold prediction he will
turn things around by the
2017 spring budget, this
will be the province’s
third consecutive deficit
budget and sixth deficit
budget among the nine
budgets Premier Brad
Wall’s
Saskatchewan
Party government has
presented.
This is a rather dubious
record for a government
that has presided over
some of the most
bountiful
years
in
Saskatchewan
history,
with oil prices
over $100 US a
barrel.
Provincial
Politics
with
Murray Mandryk
Finally, it is quite obvious
that we are already feeling
the pinch that seems
to
be
accompanying
Saskatchewan’s dwindling
prosperity.
The
201617 budget increases the
Children’s and Senior’s
Drug Plan by $5 per
prescription.
It
closes
the
Buffalo
Narrows
Community
Centre.
Aboriginal policy consultant
groups will be reduced by
$580,000, the aboriginal
court worker program will
take a $600,000 hit and
special investigations unit
(to investigate allegations
of municipal police officers
misconduct) will be cut in
half.
While not everyone in rural
Saskatchewan has been
enamoured with the work
of these boards, losing local
representation and having
more decisions made in
Regina may not be a good
thing.
The $540,000 in funding
for urban parks in Moose
Jaw, Swift Current, Prince
Albert, North Battleford
and Weyburn will all be
eliminated. The Sask. Party
government is eliminating
the Active Families Benefit
personal income tax refund
to save another $5.5
million.
Apprenticeship
training and support will
take a $3.49 million hit
and the Saskatchewan
Employment Supplement
will lose grandfathering
provisions to save another
$2.5 million.
As promised by the Sask.
Party in the March election
campaign,
highways
spending will be increased
by an additional $70 million
in the next three years to fix
more roads. Twinning from
Estevan to Beinfeit, $12.3
million for improvements
to Hwy. 55, $1.3 million for
passing lanes from Regina to
Estevan and 100 kilometres
of rural highway upgrades
including Hwy. 322 north
of Silton and Hwy. 354 near
Dilke are among the other
highlights.
But despite the budget’s bad
news, there was good news
to be found in the 201617 budget - especially for
rural folks. The agriculture
budget was actually one of
the winners with a 7.5-percent increase. SaskPower
and SaskEnergy are both
looking at transmission and
distribution expansions that
will largely take place in
rural Saskatchewan.
It’s far more bad news
than we are used to seeing
from this Saskatchewan
Party government - bad
news that will hit rural
and urban residents, alike.
And, of course, there is the
foreboding notion of more
change in the future.
There was $41.9 million
for on-going capital school
projects, including those
at St. Brieux, Langenburg,
Gravelbourg
and
Martensville. And North
Battleford and Kelvington
will see on-going financial
commitments to the building
of their health care facilities.
One of the things clearly on
the chopping block is local
hospital region boards.
It was a tough budget, but
there was some good news
to be found.
Strong: Budget 2016
Last
week
Finance
Minister Kevin Doherty
tabled
Saskatchewan’s
2016-17 Budget.
This budget is part of our
government’s responsible
and affordable plan to keep
Saskatchewan strong.
Despite a challenging year
for the province’s finances,
there are no tax increases
and no new taxes to ensure
we continue to attract
people and investment to
Saskatchewan.
We will instead focus
on controlling spending
to keep the province’s
finances strong with a plan
to return to balance next
year. This is very unique
in Canada right now as
other jurisdictions pursue
long-term deficits with
often no plan to get back
to balance.
We are also making
key
investments
in
infrastructure and people,
and we are doing what we
said we would do. This
includes fixing more roads
as part of our Highways
2020 Plan and helping
post-secondary graduates
with the down payment
on their first home through
the Graduate Retention
Program First Home Plan.
To ensure the sustainability
of high-quality public
services delivered in the
most efficient, effective
way possible, this budget
also marks the beginning
of a government-wide
process of transformational
change. Questions to be
asked as part of this review
process include:
•
Is this program
or service the role of
government? If so, is it
being delivered in the
best possible manner, at
the lowest possible cost to
taxpayers?
•
Where
similar
with
similar
exist, can those
programs
be
combined into one that
provides better results at less
cost?
•
Could a different
governance model provide
administrative savings while
still remaining responsive to
the needs of Saskatchewan
people?
At
the
same
time,
government will also take
a close look at its revenue
sources to ensure they are
sustainable and to guard
against too much dependence
on volatile revenue sources
such as oil and potash. The
overall objectives of our
province’s revenue system
must always be to keep
Saskatchewan strong by
keeping our economy strong
and to ensure government
revenues are sufficient to
ensure important programs
and services are sustainable
now and in the future. That
means a tax system that is
competitive, simple and
fair for all Saskatchewan
taxpayers.
By keeping taxes low,
controlling spending and
investing in much needed
infrastructure projects like
highways,
schools
and
hospitals, we will help
Saskatchewan's
economy
through a difficult year. While
there is more work ahead,
this budget is an important
step forward to maintain the
Saskatchewan advantage and
keep our province strong.
Many of you have been
wondering whether the new
interchanges at Warman and
Martensville will be affected
by the shortfall in revenue
that the province has been
experiencing. I am happy to
report that these projects are
proceeding as planned, and
tenders for the first phase of
the project will be going out
shortly.
Improving Safety
at Hwy 11 &
Wanuskewin Rd
In response to increasing
ABOVE: MLA Nancy Hepner
safety
concerns
at
the busy intersection
of Highway 11 and
Wanuskewin
Road,
the
Ministry
of
Highways has closed
Range Road 3052 (the
north
extension
of
Wanuskewin Road) at
Highway 11 to crosstraffic, and to left turns
from
Highway
11
northbound to Range
Road 3052. This will
reduce the number of
points where collisions
can potentially occur.
This builds on the
numerous
safety
features in place at the
intersection, including:
•
Dedicated left
turn lanes on Highway
11 to Wanuskewin Road;
•
Ramps to and
from Wanuskewin Road
on Highway 11;
•
Area lighting,
including lighting the
median;
•
“Important
Intersection
Ahead”
signs with flashing
amber lights in both
directions on Highway
11.
•
Rumble strips
on Wanuskewin road
•
D o u b l e
oversize stop signs
with flashing lights on
Wanuskewin Road.
Going forward, we will
work with the municipal
governments to monitor
traffic so we can
evaluate whether these
changes are having the
intended benefits.
Letter to the Editor
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the writer’s identity can be verified. ALL letters are the opinion of the writer and NOT the Martensville Messenger. We reserve the right to edit letters
for length, clarity or compliance with the current standards of public taste. Submit your letter to [email protected] or jottenbreit@
martensvillemessenger.ca or drop by the Martensville Messenger office at Bay #7 - 301 Centennial Drive North.
Let Us Know What You Are Thinking
Baby cries when chained to Provincial and Federal deficits
If you have a thought or concern you would
like to share with us, please email ssealey@
martensvillemessenger.ca, or contact us at (306)
668-1093.