Good budget buzz critical for Sask. Party

The post-budget rotunda reaction to the 2023-24 financial plan was surprisingly lukewarm. Of course, some cheered for what seemed at the time to be rather spectacular numbers.

For example, the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce applauded debt paydown as sending “the right message to those looking to invest in Saskatchewan and provides a stable economic climate for those already operating here.”

Alas, by the mid-year update, public debt had soared by an additional $800 million to $31.564 billion.

And many others a year ago expressed skepticism, disappointment or silence. That's strange for a budget proclaiming a billion-dollar surplus, no new tax increases (although some wanted tax decreases), $232.7 million more (a 3.4 per cent increase) for a record health budget of $7.1 billion, $235.3 million more (a 6.2 per cent increase) in education funding and a record $3.7 billion for capital investments.

It was surprising. Most stakeholder groups aren't partisan and most see budget day for the optimistic event government tries to make it out to be. Once past both the expected naysayers and cheerleaders, what you are left with in the rotunda is a pretty honest assessment.

The problem for the entire Saskatchewan Party as Finance Minister Donna Harpauer presents her last budget Wednesday — also, the last one before the next general election scheduled on or before Oct. 28 — is that it needs something to kickstart enthusiasm and support for its agenda. Another cool response like the one it strangely received last year won't do much in an election year in which the government needs to change the narrative.

According to the polls' anecdotal account, we are already seeing a noticeable decline in both popularity and trust — the latter evident in a 2023-24 budget that went from a billion-dollar surplus to a potential billion-dollar deficit. What the Sask. Party needs to stop this slide is a boost from somewhere. No single event on the political calendar is more capable of providing that needed boost than budget day. But given all that's happened as of late, can the Sask. Party expect much budget buzz after giving so many reasons to be skeptical?

Well, it hopes so. It's possible. And, certainly, government is making its best effort.

Premier Scott Moe on social media has already leaked the province's education budget with a $180 million or nine per cent increase to $2.2 billion next year.

That was quickly followed by the announcement of a multi-year funding agreement with the 27 school divisions calling for a minimum $356.6 million for additional classroom supports until 2027-28.

Of course, some will see this as yet another thing driving skepticism — especially after Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill's insistence that such spending committees should not be locked into the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation (STF) or that we should even have the contract decided by an arbitrator.

But that view may be confined to the STF — just one of the stakeholders who will be in the rotunda Wednesday and not necessarily one the government has any hope of pleasing. The Saskatchewan School Boards Association (at least publicly — perhaps less so privately) is on board with the news.

As for the others, it's been a constant stream of pre-budget announcements in an attempt to win their favour.

In health, where Minister Everett Hindley is riding a string of good news — we have seen a contract with the doctors, money for one-stop mammograms in Regina, more doctor and nurse hirings and a strategy for more rural nurse practitioners.

The latter was something demanded by the Saskatchewan Rural Municipalities Association, greeted with good news at the start of its convention Thursday from Moe that the Lake Diefenbaker irrigation project is going ahead.

Even better for SARM and the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) Moe also pre-announced a 2024-25 budget plan to spend a record $340.2 million ($42.3 million more than last year) for the Municipal Revenue Sharing Program.

Gee, will there be anything left to cheer in the rotunda on Wednesday?

Well, the government surely hopes there is. It desperately needs a better budget bump than it got last year.