Premier Brad Wall says he’s happy with long-term view in tough budget

REGINA – Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall says he knows that some people won’t be happy with the new provincial budget.

The budget tabled Wednesday raises the provincial sales tax to six per cent, increases taxes for tobacco and alcohol, cuts funding for several programs and will see the shut down of the provincial bus company.

However, the premier says he’s happy with the budget because it takes a longer term view than any other budget the Saskatchewan Party has tabled.

Wall says the three-year plan has a specific date to get back to a balanced budget.

He also says the budget does what governments should have been doing for a long time in Saskatchewan — move away from a dependency on resource revenue.

Saskatchewan is facing a $1.3-billion deficit largely because of a big drop in revenue from oil and gas, potash and uranium, and the plan is to get the deficit down to $685 million in the year ahead.