When Yorkton Mayor Mitch Hippsley looked at the recent Saskatchewan budget, he said it wasn’t one with a lot of new money coming the city’s way.
Hippsley said when looking at a provincial budget as a city mayor it’s natural to look at it from the perspective of “what’s in it for us.”
In that regard Hippsley said $6.6 million was allocated to the Urban Highway Connector Program, and while noting that is not a huge amount for the entire project, Yorkton is in line for $4 million.
“You say thanks for that,” he said.
But, then Hippsley said he stepped back to look at the budget from a broader perspective than just what is in the budget for Yorkton, and he is satisfied the province is investing in the right areas, education, health, highways and infrastructure for SaskTel and SaskPower.
“Saskatchewan is to me the land of opportunity,” he said. “I think the province is going about it the right way investing in the future.”
But the growing deficit and debt is troubling, added Hippsley pointing to the deficit climbing 40 per cent.
“That from the perspective of the business world is a lot,” he said.
And, while the province is suggesting they will wrangle to deficit back into the black by 2027, Hippsley isn’t buying that they can hit such a target calling it “a pipe dream.”
