By Geoff Smith

Local stakeholders await for details on provincial budget

Jun 1, 2016 | 6:00 AM

Ahead of the provincial budget, the government has dropped hints about what it calls a “transformational change” in service delivery.

But facing a large deficit, and a hole in projected resource revenues described by the premier as $1 billion, the executive director of the Battlefords Chamber of Commerce expects to be disappointed about promises that have been made in the past and remain undelivered.

“What we’re hoping to see and what we expect to see are two different things,” Linda Machniak said a day before the budget’s release. She explained her interest in the “transformational change,” but also expects an overall tight budget.

“For example, the reduction of corporate tax,” she said. “The commitment, approximately three years ago, from the government was to move it from 12 to 10 per cent. But that has not happened, and I don’t anticipate seeing that come through in this budget.”

Machniak also hopes that cuts don’t hit areas like financial literacy and youth entrepreneurship programs.

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“We’d hate to see education support staff or teacher numbers get cut. There would be some things that I think would hurt us given the development. They have put money into investment and infrastructure programs. To see some of those cut back may in fact hinder the continued growth or even plateau and then move forward with additional growth when things stabilize more. So I’d hate to see it get cut back too far,” she said.

Talk of changes to service delivery prompted a pre-budget news release from the Saskatchewan School Boards Association demanding to be consulted.

“Collaboration with democratically, locally elected school boards is essential before any ‘transformational changes’ in education are considered,” the association said in the release. It said local school divisions would continue to look closely at funding and find efficiencies, while ensuring the education system is the best one for children.

Machniak wonders if the province would use the belt-tightening to cut back on things not considered the core of what a government does.

“Or are they going to try to continue to keep everything on an even keel and find a way to make some cuts and still balance the budget in the end?” she said.

gsmith@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @smithco