Today’s provincial budget didn’t offer many, if any surprises, from the perspective of Yorkton Mayor Bob Maloney.
“I can’t say there were ... There wasn’t a whole lot that surprised me,” he told Yorkton This Week shortly after Saskatchewan Minister of Finance Donna Harpauer presented the budget in the Legislature.
The biggest number out of the document was that the public debt will rise by $3 billion in 2020-21 including the $1.9 billion the government is attributing to COVID-19.
“I was looking for a deficit. I was thinking something like that,” said Maloney, adding the small surprise was an expected revenue shortfall of $1.8 billion.
Maloney said seeing the province continuing to invest in infrastructure through health, education and highways was a good thing.
“You’re never going to go wrong with hospitals, schools and highways,” he said.
Overall, Maloney said spending appeared well targeted.
“I didn’t see anything knee jerk in there,” he said, adding it’s difficult to argue with things such as “record spending in health care” and how they “pushed money through to municipalities which we’re all grateful for.”
Money for mental health and addictions also drew praise from Maloney.
“That seems to be the elephant in the room,” he said, adding such problems ripple through to issues with crime.
Of course the question is how accurate numbers may ultimately be in light of the impact of the pandemic.
“There are so many unknowns,” he said.
Maloney said he is certainly worried about how retail sales rebound “especially locally, can it bounce back.” He said how that rolls out will impact provincial revenues.
Maloney did note that Harpauer looked in control of a generally bad situation.
“I thought the minister was very calm,” he said, adding it is important the government send a message that things are turning around with a return to normal.
