Battlefords MLA Herb Cox had lots of positive things to say about the provincial budget brought down March 21.
"It was a great budget," said Cox, who says it "confirms our commitment to the province. It basically outlined what we promised in the campaign and what we put in the throne speech."
Cox, who spoke to the News-Optimist after the budget was brought down in the legislature by finance minister Ken Krawetz, said the government is keeping its election promises in delivering its budget.
"Anytime the government does what it promised it would do, I think it's a good thing."
Cox also liked the fact the fiscal books are in order. He said "it's a balanced budget on the general revenue fund and on the summary financials as well." He said their "rainy day fund" is going to stay at $756 million, which he calls a "substantial amount."
Among the biggest highlights for Cox, from a Battlefords perspective, was an actual line-item commitment in the budget toward the building of a new Saskatchewan Hospital.
Cox noted the commitment in this year's budget is $5 million for the planning and redesign work on Saskatchewan Hospital in North Battleford.
"We now finally have a line in the budget that we've never had before," said Cox, who called the funding something the community had been asking for "for a long time."
One highlight for Cox was a commitment to affordable housing, particularly rental housing.
"We've got the ten per cent income tax incentive," said Cox, referring to the 10-year, 10-per cent corporate income tax rebate on rental housing. He also notes there will be 4,600 new rental homes developed over the next four years and called the affordable housing commitments a "reaffirmation" of their campaign commitment.
Another "good news" story, said Cox, is in education. He said all school boards received increases on between 1.7 per cent and 14 per cent.
"What we're trying to do with the new funding formula is make the distribution of funding more equitable," said Cox. He said $10 million was put in the first year to lessen the impact on school divisions in transitioning to the new formula.
Regional health authorities are also receiving $98 million under the budget, said Cox, and he also pointed to the $16.9 million to the Sask. Cancer Agency for chemotherapy and mammograms.
He also noted there was spending on infrastructure as $581 million was allocated to highways alone, calling it the first start on a "$2.2 billion commitment over the four years alone."
It was not entirely a good news budget, however, and Cox did acknowledge the government's decision to pull out of funding Enterprise Saskatchewan across the province.
"There's no easy decisions to be made," said Cox. "I'm sure the finance department looked at it long and hard."
He said it was the feeling of the government that the municipalities should take over funding them.
"They're working for the local regions and should be paid for locally," said Cox, who added that during the life of the government there was a 100 per cent increase in funding to the municipalities.
He points to the revenue sharing as something that could potentially help municipalities keep the enterprise regions operating. "We're hoping that that could soften the blow a bit," said Cox.
