FIRST-QUARTER UPDATE HIGHLIGHTS SASK. PARTY MISMANAGEMENT

Larger Deficit Despite $300 Million in Higher Oil Revenues
REGINA – Saskatchewan’s deficit has increased to $825 million despite $300 million in higher revenue, highlighting the depth of Sask. Party mismanagement and its lack of concern about the cost-of-living hardship developing under the watch of Scott Moe and Jim Reiter.

“Scott Moe is bankrolling his awful budgetary mismanagement on the backs of families,” said Shadow Finance Minister Trent Wotherspoon.

“It’s pretty damning: They have an unplanned boost in revenue of hundreds of millions of dollars, yet they still grow the deficit and the debt, and don’t offer an ounce of cost-of-living relief.

“The Sask. Party is doing nothing to support families with the cost of living, such as pausing the gas tax or removing the PST from groceries and children’s clothing, despite having hundreds of millions of dollars in unplanned revenue.”
The First-Quarter Report showed that, despite revenue increasing by more than $300 million, the deficit increased by $6 million.

“Scott Moe and Jim Reiter spent the entire unexpected revenue windfall—and then some—and still have the audacity to claim they are fiscally responsible,” said Wotherspoon.

“They’re mismanaging our hard-earned dollars on front after front and sticking people with the costs, including by planning to waste between $26 billion and $46 billion on a far more costly coal plan that will drive bills up. They were also planning to buy sound cannons for a police unit that doesn’t exist, all while failing to deliver the quality of services that Saskatchewan people deserve.”

This update once again raises concerns about the Sask. Party’s accuracy and competency. Over the past three years, the final results have been off by more than $1 billion compared with what was forecast in the first quarter.
Jim Reiter’s last budget forecast a $12 million surplus, but the final result turned out to be a $1 billion deficit.

“When you are routinely off by a billion dollars, you have a serious credibility problem, which sadly is the case for this Finance Minister,” said Wotherspoon.

“This is the Sask. Party’s tax-and-squander record: more money in, more money out, higher costs and poorer results for Saskatchewan people.

“That is why it is time for change.”

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