March 25, 2005
Pondering politics!
The Saskatchewan 2005 Budget hit an all time spending high of over 7 billion dollars. That is quite a jump from the $119,000 budget of 1905.
Taxes generated 52.7% of the revenue and the second largest source of revenue was 17.5% the province milked out of the Government of Canada. We can milk them for even more if we get changes to the controversial equalization formula that everyone in Saskatchewan agrees needs to be changed.
Last year the budget was tough as revenue was down. Now that the revenue picture has improved the SaskParty Finance critic, Ken Cheveldayoff believes the provincial government should have given something back to the taxpayers. That may be so if you don’t think the $192 million in extra spending on healthcare and the $74 million in extra spending on education is not for you. Health and education combined eat up nearly two thirds of the expenditure pie and education is still hungry. Houston, we have a problem!
The Saskatchewan Teachers Federation approved by 93.7% a mandate to strike. They want more money and the SaskParty has indicated they support the teachers concerns. Fair enough, but how do you spend record amounts of money on healthcare, education and other departments and give something back to the taxpayers through tax cuts? I know! Ask Grant Devine! Better still; ask David MacLean, Provincial Director, Canadian Taxpayer’s Association – Saskatchewan.
The provincial NDP government is too reckless with taxpayer’s dollars. The entire budgetary process should be reformed to assure that revenue is fair and expenditures are efficient. In the short term our interests would be best served by cutting taxes. If you don’t take, you don’t have to give back. Finally, who knows better how to spend your money, you or the government?
Pondering,
Larry Birkbeck
www.sasktelwebsite.net/lbbeck/
http://lbirkbeck.blogspot.com
