Wall’s government brings down the Saskatchewan budget next week. Let’s hope it is better than Notely’s fiasco yesterday but let’s also hope he listens to the right voices and doesn’t hike taxes.
Wall’s government brings down the Saskatchewan budget next week. Let’s hope it is better than Notely’s fiasco yesterday but let’s also hope he listens to the right voices and doesn’t hike taxes.
Well said Brian. But, don’t hold your breath waiting for cuts in non-crucial areas and that there will be no major tax hikes. Wall has already raised many, if not all, fees for provincial services such as marriage and fishing licenses. They raised the tax on smokes three times in 2016 and no doubt there will be tax increases on the so-called basket of sin taxes.
There are a number of Liberals and progressives in the Sask Party caucus and among the cabinet, so the pressure to raise taxes will be great.
“Don’t raise taxes.”
Conservatives still don’t get it.
Reducing taxes is not the objective. Keeping taxes the same is not the objective. There is no valid justification for taxes on income and consumption. Both taxes must go.
World War 1 is long over. Why aren’t income taxes?
When I was a kid … the Bridge Toll on the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge was $ 0.25 … it is now $ 6.00 during commute hours. The bridge was PAID-FOR … long ago … with the $ 0.25 Bridge fare. But politicians began RAIDING Transportation Taxes and Fees to prop-up their Socialist spending sprees … and up-up-up went the Fares. Only a RECALL of leftist Gov. Gray Davis … because he proposed a DOUBLING of the auto registration FEES … put a temporary HALT to the creeping FEE increases in CA. But Jerry’s fraudulent budget is begging for a fresh round of usurious taxation …
Jerry will be term-limited out … but there will be nowhere to run for the supermajority of Democrat Legislators.
The saskparty is getting to that point in governing where they’ve lost touch with voters and I suspect are relying on political science and other “experts” to save them from the slowing economy. Bad idea. Only experts would think that the public actually believes that the 3.5% wage reduction for politicians and their staff won’t be quietly recouped via expenses, bonuses and job reclassification -or- that unions won’t either refuse wage rollbacks or negotiate their own side deals. Only experts would think that saskpower can get to 50% renewable energy electricity production by 2030 without Ontario levels of price increases. Only experts would advise a politician that selling off 49% of a Crown is *technically* keeping his promise not to privatize Crowns without public consent (I’m ambivalent about privitization but if done then don’t be underhanded about it because everyone hates sneaky politicians who play word games). As to the extensive increase in users fees, it’s understandable and justifiable but I think the public may see it as the saskparty’s own version “campfire fees”.
Toss political theatre and get better advisers. Plug away at increased trade. Skip smart meters and renewable energy boondoggles. Be like Harper and restrict the growth in spending, do wage and hiring freezes, get rid of excess administration and regulations. Look at trimming grants to businesses and ngo’s Close tax loopholes. Whatever. Just don’t treat voters like fools and don’t follow every flavor of the day social/environmental justice issue – they’re too expensive and usually counterproductive.
Exactly what happened here in Alberta LC, Ed hired two dopey media twats for advisers and all Albertans know how disasterous that turned out. If Brad needs to reconnect with the common hard working people he needs to have a Trump style rally, lefties and idiots (same things) never go out to these without protesting, count the idiots, then count the happy people, (those that work/ conservatives) in the crowd, and Brad will see the 1 percent angry pierced tatooed skanks and scuzz, as opposed to the 99 percent normal happy contributors, and he will be back in touch with his voters. Over here in Alberta us deplorable sewer rats only wish we had a Brad Wall. Much more of this idiot and her band of dopes and we will need a wailing wall!
I’m worried of who comes after Wall… the deluge. Will his success continue after he retires?
after looking at the stats myself from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/labr80-eng.htm, http://www.stats.gov.sk.ca/stats/cpi/cpihistoricaltables.pdf, and http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/cpis01i-eng.htm
Saskatchewan’s hourly wage average has increased 16.47% since 2011 from $22.52 to $26.96 as of January 2017.
Consumer price index (inflation) has increased 12.6%.
The Gov’t Public sector employees wage increases have been a total of 8.60% since 2011.
The public sector has lost 4% and the rest of the province has gained almost 4% in wages.
I am about as Sask Party as it get’s but those numbers and the arguments from the gov’t aren’t adding up to me.
It would be interesting to take the health and teachers salaries and compare as well.
Wall had better start to reconnect with the working people of Saskatchewan or the ever smoldering socialist fire will consume his Sask Party in the next election.If he’s spending his time listening to “experts” he probably will lose.
Here in Super,Natural British Columbia, we are again faced with two choices at the polls May 9th: Bad or Worse.
Sigh.
The NDP is being slippery,as always, their website champions all sorts of causes, but never gets down to the nitty-gritty of how they intend to solve the problems,and that is undoubtedly because they intend to do the same as every past NDP government here or anywhere else; tax the rich,tax the corporations, bring in more carbon taxes,and take huge chunks of the Province out of use by anyone except green hikers.
That truth doesn’t play well with voters,though,so we’re listening to a barrage about how evil Christy Clark is, and how wonderful B.C. will be under the NDP.
With NO details.
Generally, I like Brad Wall’s government. Lately they’ve been sliding into some old PC party bad habits and political speak. I suspect that the saskparty has prided itself on its balanced budgets and economic record. The challenge of an economic slowdown has got them struggling between ego and the reality that a deficit, while unfortunate and perhaps embarrassing, is not the end of the world. Reducing spending and controlling government wages should always be a priority but the reality of our boom and bust economy is that deficits will occasionally happen. That’s why money should be set aside during booms.
‘raise taxes raise taxes raise taxes’.
well, what I have yet to ‘get’ is why the need to *raise* taxes???? crikey, with inflation at ANY rate, the gubbamint of the day is *already* getting a higher number, albeit *after* said inflation. ergo at the VERY LEAST they’re STILL sucking the same spending power at that rate. so wtf? gobbling still more more more more more more more more up goes the mill rate, up goes the minimum I/C tax rate, up goes the sales tax rate. up up up up up up up.
could it be the explanation is right in front of us? gubbamint WASTE?
I’m still waiting for the news report that ms wynndefarm got her face bashed in by someone irate at the hydro rate.
what a youtube moment that would be.
They have to raise taxes because they keep giving raises to their employees at or above the rate of inflation, with the assorted unvisible costs that go with it.
Kleptocracy has its own logic.
Wall is a Progressive, must support the Big Lie and the stealing classes.
What citizens are permitted to argue over,is the rate of theft.
A few percentage points either way, these make no difference to the drained corpse of their host.
Taxes are going up.
Never down.
Wall is the ticket for the Sask Party. If he goes…they go. So the backbenchers owe him and will go down with the ship once the public sours on him. Then it’s back to the ndp.
80 crown corporations in the province. Part of the command economy in SK. Wall didn’t touch them. He knew better.
He’s probably lost his edge. His best before day has arrived. I don’t expect he’ll be around to fight another election.