The Canadian Taxpayers Federation likes some aspects of the budget but is concerned about the level of debt.
They were happy to see government maintain the cut in the gas tax, and to reduce the tax rate for small business to 2.5 per cent from 3 per cent.
However, the executive director of the federation, Jay Goldberg, is concerned that government is running a deficit again this year instead of balancing the books as it had planned. Newfoundland and Labrador says it will be back to surplus the year after but Goldberg questioned that rationale on VOCM Open Line with Brian Callahan given that the province is borrowing $2.8-billion this upcoming fiscal year.
He says they’re talking about the operational side of things and the numbers they give us should be how much more debt are we taking on this year. He says if they don’t, the debt can easily get away from us.
