Provincial budget presented

The Saskatchewan Party brought down its 2012 budget last week, and Yorkton MLA Greg Ottenbreit said it is a document which addresses party promises from last fall's election, and does so in a balanced fashion.

Ottenbreit said the party did what it had to "to keep the economy moving to keep the momentum," it had achieved.

Achieving a balanced budget is a major accomplishment, suggested Ottenbreit, even at a surplus of only $15 million which he termed "a thin wedge."

However, Ottenbreit said that small surplus does come with an anticipated increase in the Growth and Financial Security Fund with a forecast balance of $756.4 million at the end of 2012-13.

The budget did not offer lower taxes, but Ottenbreit said previous cuts to personal and business taxes are what have "encouraged investment in the province."

That investment takes time to move through the system, and Ottenbreit said, "next year we'll see a significant increase," in terms of revenue because of the investments made.

"In terms of corporate income tax we're seeing that lag (this year)."

The lag on returns to the government coffers did limit some of what the government could do in the budget, said Ottenbreit.

"You can only spend the money you've got coming in," he said.

In terms of Yorkton, the Trades and Technology Centre being planned by Parkland College did not receive an allocation of dollars.

"There was nothing set aside for the trades centre," said Ottenbreit, who said while he lobbied for the centre, "it is still in the feasibility and planning stage," so funding was deemed premature. He said he remains confident when the college is ready to take the next step the province will be there as a funding partner.

Ottenbreit said the budget did provide some needed help for housing, including the new Saskatchewan First-Time Homebuyers' tax credit providing a provincial non-refundable income tax credit of up to $1,100 to eligible taxpayers.

"I think we'll see a lot of uptake on that," he said.

Ottenbreit said funds are also targeted at continuing to improve the health care system in Saskatchewan including; $60.5 million for the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative to complete over 8,000 more surgeries in 2012-13 (a 10 per cent increase from 2009-10, the year before the initiative began), and meet the goal of providing patients with the opportunity to have surgery within six months by 2013, $100 thousand to establish a program to meet the 2011 platform commitment to forgive up to $120 thousand in student loans for new doctors and up to $20 thousand for new nurses and Nurse Practitioners (NP) that practice in qualifying rural and remote communities for five years.

In terms of health care some seniors will find their' more costly.

The per-prescription cap under the Seniors' and Children's Drug Plan will rise from $15 to $20 and generate $10 million in savings for the Saskatchewan Prescription Drug Program.

The government estimated change will cost an average of $125 annually for seniors and $20 per year for children under the plan.

And Fees under the Senior Citizen's Ambulance Assistance Plan rise by $25 to $275 per trip, which the government has stated will save $675 thousand.

Ottenbreit said such increases were part of the process to achieve a balanced budget.

"If you're going to balance a budget sometimes you have to make some difficult decisions," her said.

Ottenbreit said provincially the economy looks strong, with forecasts of a 3.1 per cent growth rate in the year ahead.

"It's forecast to be the strongest in the country," he said, adding that goes hand-in-hand "with the second lowest debt in country (only Alberta is better)," and the best credit rating in the country. He said the rating is an indicator "of how we're managing the finances of the province."