Most years when the calendar turns from one year to the next, it is far more symbolic of change than an actual herald of it.
But this time, as the calendar switches to 2016, it might actually be a year where we could see some rather significant change, at least if the whims of voters happen to determine they want are some different faces in both the provincial legislature and in our City’s Council chambers.
Voters will trek to the polls provincially April 4, and then again in city/urban elections in most communities Oct. 26.
The twin elections will be interesting in the sense both will play out against a backdrop of an economy which has been slowing down for months.
On the provincial front it will be an interesting exercise leading up to the April vote to see just how tight the economy is perceived to be.
The Saskatchewan Party has often missed the mark of forecasts, a couple of wide misses in terms of potash revenue still fresh in the memory of anyone paying attention to such things, so you take their forecasts now with a grain-of-salt.
All right, that might be a bit harsh in Premier Brad Wall’s crew. The fact is the financial order of any provincial or federal government seems more myth and fog than reality of late.
So in Saskatchewan the sitting government is going to suggest we are faring better than most, offer up a budget pre-election without a great deal of hurt, but likely no new spending, and go to the hustings hoping the New Democrats are still at least a term of way from a rebuild to creditability.
The NDP are going to point out how things economically have been in decline, and provincially little has been done to stem that trend.
Voters are likely to stay away from the polls in significant numbers, at least the appetite for this election after Stephen Harper’s marathon of distrust and fear federally only a couple of months ago, seems extremely low if you trust the buzz on the street.
Come October, we will be electing a new Council, one which is going to face the fiscal realities of a slower economy.
The money flowing from the municipal share of the provincial sales tax is already expected to shrink in 2017, according to the City’s 2016 Budget deliberations.
With an economic slowdown both business growth and residential home building go into virtual stasis, so past growth which has helped the City hold off the increasing cost of running things, disappears.
But infrastructure continues to age. Utility rates climb. Wages inch upwards.
Services don’t change though. Taxpayers still want the streets plowed for snow, the boulevard grass cut, the streets swept. There is no appetite to reduce services to ease tighter budgets.
It is likely to be an austere four years in service to the City.
So who will take on that role?
We have had a very veteran crew this last term, all having had previous experience in Council chambers. In tighter times experience is not a bad thing, but there is always a benefit from fresh faces with new ideas too, which should make it interesting come October.
Perhaps in the end 2016 will be a time of change after all.
