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Hardeman Gives Thumbs Down to Provincial Budget

Friday, 3 May 2013 11:22

Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman says the provincial budget is "more of the same" from the provincial Liberals. Finance Minister Charles Sousa says the budget takes a "balanced approach" to limiting spending growth and eliminating the deficit. It will grow the deficit to 11.7 billion dollars this year from 9.8 billion last year -- but Sousa says the province remains on track to rebalance the books in 2017-18. However, Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman isn't buying it. "Spending in this budget is going up $3.6-Billion and it does nothing to encourage anybody to come and invest in our economy because it's that same policy and same direction they've been going since McGuinty was here and this Premier (Kathleen Wynne) is taking us in the same direction." Meantime, Woodstock's Mayor is happy to see gas tax transfers remain in the provincial budget. Mayor Pat Sobeski says the fact that the government committed to the payments for a number of years provides the kind of commitment municipalities were looking for. "We'll have to see what comes out of the agreements that the minority government can work, but as far as the stability goes, that's good to see." In Thursday's budget the province promised to make gas tax transfers permanent. Woodstock has used the gas tax transfers to purchase several new buses over the last few years, to bring the city's transit fleet up to date.

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