Don't reduce one regressive tax.. Does tuition count?
In a word, 'No'.
That's not to say I disagree w/the shift. But it doesn't represent 'new money', its been entirely offset by taking away various credits. I'd still agree its an improvement; though not the best way to handle the issues. Regardless. A different issue from the one I mentioned.
No new investments in infrastructure.. New widenings of the 417 and 400 are the only formally "new" projects, but the province dropped 36 billion last year and is working out the details for more next year.. you expect just a rain of infrastructure spending every year into infinity?
I'm a pragmatist, not an idealist. I don't expect endless 'new money'. I do expect material progress. I would have no issue if that progress came in some other section of the budget; but as this has been a focus for this government, at least rhetorically, it was one area one might have expected further advances. Needless to say there are many worthy and needed investments. Its not just subways to the sky.
Prescription drugs.. not really on the agenda anywhere.
Incorrect. Kathleen Wynee ran for the Liberal leadership on a platform of incrementally moving to universal prescription drug care. It needn't be done all at once.
She noted the idea of paying for drugs that most likely would reduce health care costs by more than the drug expenditure, such as those than reduce blood pressure, reduce the liklihood of heart attack or stroke etc.
I would note that in Ontario, we have the ridiculous situation that many forms of 'chemo' can now be delivered outside the hospital; by pill, but if it is, you, the patient have to pay for it.
That can be up to $6,000 per round of treatment. While the Trillium drug benefit may reimburse some portion of your cost (much less than you might think), you still have to front the money.
There are definitely people going w/o cancer care as a result. Most doctors are incredibly decent people, who if aware of someone's circumstance will find a way to book the treatment in hospital.
However that costs the gov't over $1,000 per day; massively more than the cost of the drug.
Every province west of Ontario includes this type of coverage in their health care plan. Its highly affordable. Not Billions.
Go transit parking fees - politically unpopular and something that wouldn't be announced this year anyway, timing is everything and everything is timing, and GO is currently reviewing their parking strategies anyway. may as well wait until that study is done.
Tolls - don't HOT lanes count? Again, full on road tolls would be hugely unpopular and largely a global first, no major city globally tolls its entire freeway system as far as I know, especially not decades after construction. Want to commit political suicide? increase the cost of living dramatically for 90% of voters in your swing ridings.
Sales taxes etc.. again, complaints about budget deficits, then complaints about lack of tax cuts
I did not advocate either $10 per day parking at every GO station or massive tolls on every freeway. Merely progress.
Let's be clear, the next budget is pre-election, so unpopular moves won't be in that budget either.
If you want improvements in public services they have to be paid for either by cutting somewhere, and/or 'new money' or mostly likely some combination of the two.
Endlessly deferring tough decisions is a lack of courage, and one which makes voters all the more cynical.
I have no difficultly listing cuts where the money can be found either, but if think modest changes in GO parking fees or selective tolling are tough, wait for the reaction to merging the separate and public school systems for savings of $1.5 billion (conservatively).
***
You could toll express lanes only. Simple, easy, free alternative right along side.
You could charge only for 'sheltered' parking; or only in areas where public transit to the station is frequent.
Lots of options.
Saving the debt for last. Its not like the province just tosses all their deficit money in a hole every year, that is a structural deficit. You can't just fix it in a year short of mega cuts or tax hikes that would destroy an economy. You make small progress towards it, which they have been. Debt is slated to stop going up starting next year, as promised.
Hyperbole.
Ontario is now the largest sub-national debtor on earth.
That's not something we should be happy about.
Up to 1/3 of that debt comes up for renewal in the next five years, even a modest hike in interest rates could devastate public finance.
We (Ontario) will spend $11.8 Billon on interest expense next year, the third or fourth largest line item expense.
Enough money to pay for universal pharmacare and dentalcare and have enough leftover to balance the budget and modestly cut taxes.
***
I said I'm not partisan and not ideological and I meant both. I'd be happy to give another party a rough ride. But I'll judge each by its rhetoric and the potential it has to make change.
I'll happily consider incremental progress; but not none.
I found the budget deeply disappointing for its failure to take almost any issue seriously.
And for its squandering of money (see homeowner renovation credits again)........when there are much better ways to use those dollars.