Mayor Debra Button was at the provincial Legislature on Mar. 21 when the budget was passed by the government. "I was very pleased to be there, and listen to the budget.
Mayor Debra Button was at the provincial Legislature on Mar. 21 when the budget was passed by the government. "I was very pleased to be there, and listen to the budget. I enjoyed the whole process of it and the buzz in the Legislature building before and after."
Overall, Button thought that it was a "lack luster budget. There was nothing big jumping out and it was more of a budget that we would see in a last year of a government, than the first. I do think that the province is on track with a lot of things."
Button was disappointed that her biggest hope was not in the provincial budget. "The Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association had requested $200 million in interim support for urban infrastructure funding. Unfortunately there was no new money to address the critical growth related issues."
"Urban infrastructure is essential to our province, and the City of Weyburn and our growth agenda," said Button. "It is essential for us as a community to get our long-term and a sustainable infrastructure plan in place."
"The provincial government does acknowledge and recognize that urban infrastructure is a need, and that as we move forward that there will be something in place by next year."
Another request by SUMA was for $500,000 for an urban paper and cardboard recycling program while the multi-material recycling program is under development. The province only released $398,000 for urban recycling in their budget, which Button said was needed.
"The biggest excitement in the budget is the new corporate income tax rebate for rental housing," said Button. "We have a housing advisory committee in the city that has worked in the last two years, and we had great successes already. This will be a nice addition to our tool box."
SUMA referred to the corporate income tax rebate as a "move that will stimulate new rental buildings and will be very welcome in our growing urban centres."
"It was identified to me time and time again by developers that rental properties were a struggle for them to look at building," said Button. "This program will allow more rental units being built in our city."
While other communities might be affected by the loss of funding to the Enterprise Region program, Button attributed the visionary foresight of the city council for economic development. "We never felt anything positive from the enterprise region, and had maintained our regional enterprise development association (REDA)."
"The cuts to the Enterprise Regions won't cost us different," added Button. "I understand that the Enterprise Regions were really an idea of Brad Wall, and I give him full marks to acknowledge it wasn't working."
The province is continuing investing in municipalities with one per cent of the PST. "That is a significant amount for the City of Weyburn," said Button. An advantage to communities is that the province will base funding on the 2011 census.
"Cities are the economic engines of the province, and by funding them we can get down and dirty to grow our cities and grown our province," said Button. "I feel that with the tools put into this budget, that the province sees us as a partner."
