CTF Pre-budget Submission

SASKATOON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is calling for spending restraint, privatization initiatives and tax relief for families in its 2005 Saskatchewan pre-budget submission.

The theme of the report is "fostering a prosperous and sustainable second century." The recommendations are aimed at ensuring government spending is returned to sustainable levels to deal with impending demographic challenges and to provide fiscal room for tax relief aimed at families and working individuals.

"The overriding message from the Centennial Summit was that there is an appetite for change in Saskatchewan," said CTF Saskatchewan Director David MacLean. "Taxpayers deserve a government that spends their money carefully, with an eye toward the future. What we have seen instead are massive, unsustainable spending increases that jeopardize our province's future."

"If implemented, our recommendations would respect taxpayers' dollars and help grow the Saskatchewan economy," added MacLean.

Key Recommendations:

• Reduce government spending and control the cost of the public sector to ensure balanced budgets and allow for tax reductions.
• Privatize Saskatchewan Transportation and purchase the required services to meet social policy objectives.
• Begin a formal, long-term process aimed at exploring new models of health care delivery and allow the establishment of a parallel private health system.
• Establish a measurable plan to increase the provincial share of education funding to 75%.
• Increase the Basic Personal Exemption to 15,000 over five years.
• Privatize liquor retail operations in order to save taxpayers $8 million annually and create hundreds of new businesses and jobs.