MLA Report November 5

Hello Chestermere! I am sure the local dentists are going to have a booming week looking into the mouths of the young and old to see if toothbrushes made their mark on the Halloween caramels and gummies that live between our teeth. Everything in moderation, right? Well that leads very nicely to the provincial government and the budget. From Investopedia: “DEFINITION of ‘Budget’ : An estimation of the revenue and expenses over a specified future period of time. A budget can be made for a person, family, group of people, business, government, country, multinational organization or just about anything else that makes and spends money.”
In my house and the houses of many Albertan’s there is a commonality as to how we apply this term. We try and keep our spending in line with our revenue. We cut down or cut back on how much we eat out, or see movies, or sometimes even our kids’ activities to regulate the amount of money we spend, and to try and stay on track for our own debt. That may be in a mortgage, or a car payment. We are on the hook and responsible for our own spending and the consequences of not paying off our debts. We save money for trips, secondary education, private education, concerts, clothing and various other needs and wants, and we feel good putting wonderful meals in front of our families and friends. This sense of accomplishment comes from so many aspects, but ultimately from being able and responsible for our own money and what we choose to spend it on. The Provincial Government Budget has our money going in only one direction—spending. There are no signs of fiscal restraint, or efficiency. There is no sign of how the Government plans to pay for the programs, and worst of all they feel somehow justified because it was their platform, and plan to fulfill promises that had no basis in any monetary reality. The Government mendaciously claims that the Wildrose would have cut front line workers to balance the budget. I assure you nothing is further from the truth. Balancing budgets comes from good management, and a vision for the future. It comes from cutting inefficiencies and realizing that we as your representatives are not entitled to spend your tax dollars willy-nilly with out any explanation. Obviously there must be priorities, and we have asked for a prioritized list. Unfortunately this budget shows no sign that the government has any priority except to continue to spend money we do not have with no thought for the consequences.
Please check out Brian Jean’s response to the budget. You can find links to it on my Facebook page www.facebook.com/WildroseLeela or on the Alberta Legislature website. See what a passionate native Albertan has to say about this budget. His words certainly resonate with me and not just because he is the leader of the Wildrose, but because he is a true leader, and he is not afraid to Stand Up for Alberta.