REGINA: Richard Truscott, the Saskatchewan Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), is challenging Education Minister Jim Melenchuk to a debate on school taxes.

"The Minister is either misunderstanding our tax cut proposals, or misrepresenting them because he doesn't want to offer hard-pressed taxpayers any relief. He either needs remedial math classes or he needs to sit in the corner for awhile," says Truscott.

"Let's kick it around in a public debate so the Saskatchewan people can decide for themselves," says Truscott.

Last week, the CTF submitted a 12,500 name petition calling for school tax relief in the budget. Since last year the CTF has advocated a 40-50% cut in school taxes, which would provide about $240-$280 million in tax relief.

The CTF has also called for a detailed review of how school taxes and property taxes operate (similar to the Vicq Commission's review of income taxes). Education Minister Jim Melenchuk erroneously claimed that the CTF proposal was to cut all property taxes by 40%, which would double the cost.

"The government needs to be fiscally responsible, and needs to spread the tax relief around by reducing income taxes and the PST. But the school tax problem is especially urgent because of the rural income crisis and deserves special attention in the budget from the new Premier," says Truscott.