Local MLA skeptical about budget projections

Can the budget released by the Liberal government for Nova Scotia be trusted?

That’s the question Pictou East MLA Tim Houston was asking Tuesday after getting the chance to look at some of the highlights of the budget, which calls for a $17 million surplus.

He describes the budget as “rosy” and what one might expect for a government past the halfway mark of its mandate.

Looking closer at how the small surplus is achieved leads to some concern, he said.

“There is very high revenue estimates for the year – $371 million higher than they were last year,” he said. “That’s a very big revenue increase.”

Predicting revenue is always very subjective he said and at best it’s an estimate. With the economy flat, he said it seems a bit unrealistic to see that much growth.

“It’s hard to marry up those things on the first blush,” he said.

With the $10 billion worth of spending in the budget he said there are certainly some positive things as well as some not so great. He said there was no mention of roads in the budget address and believes that is something of importance to people across Nova Scotia particularly the rural parts.

With the cost of the Yarmouth Ferry and the Bluenose coming out of the Transportation budget, he said it makes him wonder “what won’t get done because those things are?”

Over the next two weeks, he said he and his fellow PC members will be taking a closer look at the budget and asking the tough questions.

His biggest one for now remains whether the actuals will match up with the projections.

“Will this budget become a reality?”