CITIES Working to avoid more budget surprises
Even as its lawyers ponder the possibility of suing the province over the elimination of $33 million worth of grants, the association representing Saskatchewan cities and towns is working to avoid budget-day surprises next year.
The Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) was blindsided by the Saskatchewan Party’s 2017-18 budget, which it says put its members in a “tight spot.” SUMA president Gordon Barnhart said he wants to avoid a similar situation in 2018-19.
“I think now we’re looking more toward the future,” Barnhart said. “Our hope is that from here on in we will have good communication between the government and SUMA and the urban municipalities.”
The provincial government said in March that it plans to reduce its $1.3-billion deficit by about $600 million this year and another $380 million in 2018-19 before bringing the budget back into the black by the 2019-20 fiscal year.
SUMA has become one of the loudest voices in the chorus against the government’s latest budget, which it says has forced its 440 members — like the City of Saskatoon, which expects a huge tax increase next year — into a “tight spot.”
Barnhart declined to speculate on whether consultation with the province ahead of the 2017-18 budget would have led to different results, but said he hopes SUMA can work more constructively with the government over the coming months.
While there has been no formal deal struck with the province, the government appears interested in working with SUMA and its members to address not only next year’s budget, but also “future direction,” Barnhart said.
Mayor Charlie Clark told the Saskatoon StarPhoenix that the city, which last month hiked taxes in response to the budget, needs “more certainty and sustainability in our funding relationship with the province.”
A spokeswoman said Government Relations Minister Donna Harpauer was not available for an interview on Friday. Harpauer has previously questioned whether it’s “reasonable” for governments to fight each other in court.
That, however, remains a possibility. SUMA indicated this week that it is considering a lawsuit over the government’s decision to claw back Crown corporation grants that would have been paid to 109 communities this year.
Barnhart said Friday that the association has not decided how to proceed. Asked whether a lawsuit would cast a shadow over its attempt to work more closely with government, he said he prefers consultation to confrontation.
“I don’t think we would want to do anything that would jeopardize our communication with government. Whether there’ll be any lawsuits or not, that’s too early to tell.”
Our hope is that from here on in we will have good communication between the government and SUMA and the urban municipalities.