Wildrose releases plan to balance the budget by 2017

Today, Wildrose Leader Brian Jean released the fully costed plan to reverse the PC tax increases, shrink the size of government, limit debt and to truly balance the budget by 2017.

The Wildrose priority is to stand up for low taxes, balanced budgets and a savings plan by focusing reductions on three categories: showing leadership at the top, reviewing spending for savings that protect the front lines and cutting PC waste and cronyism.

“Our plan is sensible, modest, protects families from dangerous PC tax increases and restores jobs, growth and prosperity,” Jean said. “We will show real leadership from the top, trim PC waste and entitlements and shrink the size of government without hurting front line services.”
Highlights of the budget plan include:

– Reduce Government of Alberta (GoA) managerial ranks by 33 per cent
– Reduce AHS managers and consultants by 50 per cent
– Reduce GoA travel, advertising and conference budgets by 50 per cent
– Limit public executive pay
– Roll back Cabinet and MLA pay raises and reduce expenses
– Eliminate corporate grant subsidies
– Reinstate the 3-year salary freeze on remaining managers in GoA

The spending reductions will result in an immediate $2.2 billion in savings for this budget year, and $3.5 billion by 2017-18.

While the PCs will bring the province into $31 billion in debt, the Wildrose plan will end the PC borrowing binge by 2017 and take on $15 billion less in new debt. Through saving 50 per cent of future surpluses, a Wildrose government would grow the Heritage Savings and Trust Fund to $200 billion in 20 years.

“We know government shouldn’t be about dollars spent, but people served. Our priorities focus on shrinking the size of government without hurting the quality of front line services,” Jean said. “I am proud of our balanced budget and savings plan that will focus on bringing our province back to prosperity.”