Alberta Budget: is there fiscal sanity anywhere?

Alberta Finance Minister Ted Morton released the budget yesterday and indicated that there would be a $4.6 billion deficit. You can read about the budget here.

It has been a long time since fiscal sanity was the name of the game in Alberta- or anywhere else in Canada for that matter. There is an increasing disconnect between politicians and the taxpayers money that politicians are spending (or wasting!) It was astounding to see that there was a 16% increase budgeted for health care and the government made no apologies for it.

Agriculture and the homeless, meanwhile, were hit. The province is eliminating a revenue insurance program to farmers and trimming agriculture income support and crop insurance. It's also slashing nearly a fifth of its housing budget.

We are past due for a total rethinking of how budgets are prepared and how governments manage our money. And , of course...where small business fits in the big picture. Our politicans need to start thinking beyond their personal four year legacy... and act in the best interest of the future of our country.

Leadership would mean that Premier Stelmach and all MLA’s take an immediate 5% pay cut which would remain in place until the books are back in surplus. Zero based budgeting needs to be embraced – all departments need to be reviewed to see whether they are required or not and more importantly do they bring value for taxpayer’s money.

We must fight for fiscal leadership all across the country and Alberta would be a great place for this to start.

What were your thoughts on the budget yesterday?