Battlefords MLA Herb Cox is proud to be a part of the government as it fulfills a promise to return to balance by 2019-20. (file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Tyler Marr

BACK TO BALANCE

Cox ‘proud’ of 2019-20 provincial budget

Mar 21, 2019 | 2:07 PM

Battlefords MLA Herb Cox says his government made a plan to return to balance this year and fulfilled that in Wednesday’s budget.

The latest balance sheet from the province projects a $34.4 million surplus this fiscal year, with increasing positive balances in the three to follow.

“A lot of times you will hear governments want to do things and have good intentions but don’t get there. We got there. We got to balance,” he said. “That makes me proud to be a part of this government.

The budget did not raise or introduce new taxes and provided new funding for mental health care, highway safety and volunteer firefighters.

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Targeted funding for mental health treatment, Cox said, was something he and other Saskatchewan Party MLA’s heard loudly from various organizations and individuals, including those who spoke to the Crime Reduction Committee.

“That was one of the things people thought would be necessary not only to decrease crime but to better the quality of life for people in Saskatchewan,” Cox said.

The new budget forecasts government debt to come in at $21.7 billion as of March 31, 2020, up $1.8 billion from the third quarter update and $1.7 billion over last year’s budget, which the province said is due to further capital investment.

Public debt is forecasted to continue to rise to $23.1 billion in 2021, $24.6 billion in 2022, and $26 billion in 2023.

Asked on this, Cox pointed to the province’s operation debt, which is forecast to remain unchanged at $6.15 billion.

He said when the government took office in 2007, they inherited a massive infrastructure deficit and had to borrow either through the Crowns or other organizations to build hospitals, fix highways and build schools.

“We have done those things and you can’t do them without having a mortgage on them,” he said, comparing it to buying a house.

Both Mayor Ryan Bater and Ames Leslie hoped for a model on how the province plans to direct cannabis tax revenue to the local level in the budget. Bater further wanted to see more money for the urban connector program and Leslie wanted a rollback of PST on construction projects.

While none of these promises were fulfilled, Cox made note that revenue sharing to municipalities is up $10.5 million in 2019-20 and a total of $437.1 million will go to support hometowns in the province, up from $412 million last year.

“Some of that funding can go a long way to do some of the things the cities require to do,” Cox said. “There are no strings attached to some of the money and they can use it where they best see fit.”

Overall, Cox said the budget sets the province up well financially for the future, despite the fact provincial coffers were hit with a one billion blow to resource revenue three years ago.

“There have been some tough decisions that have had to be made but we made them and we have got to where we are today,” he said. “This is not a destination, this is a journey and we are going to continue on the journey to make sure we keep a balanced budget and allow us to do the things the citizens of Saskatchewan and the Battleford require.”

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tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr