Spending cuts will affect everyone
Published Wednesday March 18th, 2009
FREDERICTON - Everyone in New Brunswick is about to feel the effects of government spending cuts whether they're public servants, people with small court claims or regulars on the province's river ferries.
Government cost-cutters have trained their sights on everything from the mundane, such as the "manure stewardship program," to the major, such as public sector wages and jobs.
"Governing is about making tough decisions," Finance Minister Victor Boudreau said, reciting the mantra of recession-weary politicians.
"These decisions were not taken lightly. We asked each department to find efficiencies and savings."
As expected, the Liberal government announced in its budget on Tuesday that it is eliminating 700 positions in the 47,000-strong public service and freezing wages from April of this year until March, 2011.
About 400 public servants soon will be told that their jobs are gone. The remaining 300 positions are already vacant and will not be refilled.
Boudreau did not rule out more job cuts in the coming years. He said they are likely as the government struggles to contain spending to less than two per cent per year.
He noted that roughly 25 per cent of the civil service will be eligible for retirement in the next five to six years.
"There are opportunities there to eliminate positions without having a drastic effect on people," he said.
Opposition finance critic Bruce Fitch said public servants are scared.
"Why don't we be fair to civil servants, offer some kind of package and give them the opportunity to get out gracefully rather than just being terminated on a moment's notice?"
Boudreau said that, in total, the restraint policies will save $182 million this year.
But the government will be saving money at a cost in service for New Brunswickers.
Among the programs lost are river ferry services in Gagetown, Hampstead and Belleisle - romantic reminders of bygone days in New Brunswick when the rivers were main arteries for transport and trade.
In addition to losing the three ferries, the Department of Transportation will be making "seasonal adjustments" to the Deer Island ferry service.
As well, it will be discontinuing winter ploughing of church and community yards and reducing maintenance on certain roads.
Commercial vehicle enforcement - the branch that checks for overweight and unsafe trucks - also will have its funds reduced.
"There are a number of cuts that go to the safety of our highways and byways, and the safety of New Brunswickers," Tom Mann, executive director of the New Brunswick Union, said in an interview.
"These decisions are unfortunate."
While some wags in the press gallery wondered if cuts to "manure stewardship" meant the Liberal government was reducing its flourishing spin doctor department, in fact it means less help for farmers in dealing with manure control.
New Brunswick lawyers already have complained about the government's decision to axe the small claims court, but the legal system is also losing the court social worker program and funding will be reduced for the Legal Aid Services Commission.
The government says it expects all Crown corporations, including NB Power, to follow its wage restraint program.
The wage control plan extends to universities and municipalities which, Boudreau said, "receive significant financial support from New Brunswick taxpayers."
He said the government expects universities and municipalities to control their wage bills in a manner similar to the province.
"Grants to universities and municipalities will be adjusted in future years to reflect this expectation," Boudreau warned.
Winter services will be eliminated at Mactaquac Provincial Park and less will be spent on rabies control and tourism marketing.
In the schools, funding will be reduced for student laptops; student busing; distance learning; school libraries and school intervention services.
Boudreau insisted the cuts are necessary, and he promised they will not affect the most important government services.
"New Brunswickers should rest assured that the delivery of key public services will not be affected by these measures," Boudreau said.
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The school cuts are a really low blow. And with busing cut, we're surely to see more incidents like the Bathurst tragedy.
Is this a joke? they already are paid more than what private sector employees are, and they have a guaranteed pension fund which is 1/3 of the deficit. I don't feel sorry for these people.
I understand the cuts to lapstops for schools, but the rest is just poor thinking.
Nothing was mentioned about the ridiculous travel allowances, pre-budget spending, promotional products & redundant ads, wage hikes for elected officials & other spending that benefits those in power & their buddies.
Good Luck with this budget - we're going to need it!
And trust me - if you go by the mine site in Penobsquis they need to be checking way more trucks not less!! They are in horrible condition and yet these trucks are on our roads. And I can't tell you the last time I saw commercial vehicle enforcement - starting to think they were already cut!
Just like the paving of Route 114 - maybe this was all done last year but only made it into the budget this year.
My concern is that many of the "savings" may not be savings in the long term ie. cuts to school libraries, small claims court for a short list. The Graham government has introduced broad based cuts, I would have prefered focused cuts to wastefull programs. Of course this would have required more thought and assessment, something I don't feel the finance minister devoted as much energy to as was required. I would grade this effort as a cautious "C".
The Liberals talked a good talk during the election campaign, and the only thing I think they accomplished was installing some wildlife fencing along Highway 7, between Welsford and Oromocto. During that election campaign, there was no talk of raising taxes or cancelling the already budgeted for heating rebate passed by the P.C.'s, yet those are the first things they did after the election. Time for Shawn and his team to be put out to the manure pile.