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Originally Posted by MonctonRad
A generally sound and reasonable budget.
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Two words I wouldn't use to describe it, honestly. They're still maintaining a deficit, still adding to the debt, and still increasing spending.
Why? There are however a few points I do like that i'll go over when I find the time later.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MonctonRad
- The province had no choice but to go back to a 15% HST. They should have done it last year. Shit, Alward should have done it four years ago!
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Agreed, although there's no way Alward would have done that given his mandate.
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Originally Posted by MonctonRad
- I agree that it was too soon to do anything about road tolls. This requires further discussion and study. Personally, I would put in a blended system with toll booths on the borders at Edmundston, Woodstock, Saint Stephen & Aulac but supplement these with additional toll stations on route 2 between Freddy & Moncton, and route 1 between SJ and Moncton. If you did this, the tolls at each station could be $5 rather than a $10 admission toll to NB.
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I'm expecting tolls by the end of the current Liberal mandate, likely next year. They still need to find more revenue.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MonctonRad
- I also think the time has come to close the rural hospitals and convert them into nursing homes with adjoining community health centres. This province only really needs about 9-10 real hospitals to provide competent care. There could be a lot of savings here!
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Absolutely.
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Originally Posted by MonctonRad
- I'm more sympathetic towards maintaining rural schools, at least at the elementary level. Nobody wants to see 6 year olds on a bus for 90 minutes every morning. Small 2-3 room rural schools are fine for younger kids. It's only with the need for more specialized programs in the senior years that consolidation is necessary.
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I'm not. If you're living 90 minutes from an area with a school, and paying lower property/lack of municipal taxes as a result, that's the choice you've made, IMO. Rural areas are emptying out regardless, closing rural schools is going to affect fewer and fewer the longer they stay open. I'm actually trying to think of somewhere you could nestle in this province that's 90 minutes one way from a school and it would be very difficult to find.
Also, we're getting a cap on our
free and accessible healthcare:
via @poitrasCBC
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