I’m not going to tear into this in detail. Just the fun highlights:
Provincial sales tax increases to 7%. Together with the GST, that means most items one purchases in the province are taxed 14%. Sales tax free Alberta revises revenue projections upward due to a bump in retail sales.
Usual cigarette and beer tax increases. Four pages of free increases, on everything from registrations of births to fishing licenses to hearing aids to estate settlements (from $600 to $900). The comic relief is provided by Parks – new “Weiner Roast Tax”. Lighting a campfire will require a $3 permit. Per day. Summer officially postponed to mid June, as provincial parks openings are pushed back to save $$.
Green Economy; Government to allow “fire to play a more natural role in the forest.” Permit may not be necessary, after all.
Under “Government By The Unions, For The Unions” aka “keeping your base on the payroll” ; 95% of 20,000 civil service employees have contracts due for renegotiation this year. SaskPower is in a legal strike position. Oops. No can do.
Budget mandates 0% wage increases this year, 1% in 2005, 2006. Over 400 jobs cut. Heh. I’m getting me a lawnchair to watch the fireworks. (Next time I’m in Alberta.)
No relief for astronomical rural property taxes. Clawback of farm fuel tax rebate. Can you spell t-a-x r-e-v-o-l-t? Rural Service centers closed, replaced with Agriculture Knowledge Centres. Can’t have a budget without the “rename game” and another sign contract for someone.
44% of entire budget goes to health care. Promise to bring surgical waiting lists to a maximum of 18 months…. in two years time. Tommy Douglas, still dead.
But, another balanced budget….. 6.1 billion spent on 975,000 residents.
Eh… well balanced by borrowing money from a “rainy day” line of credit, and leaving out losses incurred by publicly owned Crown Corporations.
The SaskParty responded with a non-confidence motion today, vote on Thursday.
One defection, new election.
