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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2000-05-10, Page 66 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, Kay 10, 2000 News Johns says budget should benefit fanners with retail sales tax exemption By WNW Evans Lakeshore Advance Editor The 2000 Ontario budget, announced May 2, has drawn varied reactions from all sectors of the community. Ontario Finance Minister Emie Eves is patting himself On the back for balancing the budget and doubling the reserve fund to pay down the province's projected net debt of $114.1 billion for 1999- 2000. But farmers, nurses and the provincial Liberals are criticizing Eves, and Premier Mike Harris, for not giving enough funding to the people they feel deserve it. Farmers get slight break Ontario Federation of Agriculture President Jack Wilkinson said in a press release the budget missed major opportunities to help the province's 67,000 farmers. One missed opportunity was eliminating the Retail Sales Tax on farm building materials; instead the provincial government will reduce the tax one per cent a year until 2004. The OFA says farmers will save $500.000 annually but the federation was hoping for more. Wilkinson added farmers may see some of the $40 million Ontario Small Town and Rural Development funding. The government announced S118 million in funding for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. but past Liberal candidate Larry O'Neill (Lambton-Kent-Middlesex) said it's money that's already been announced. "Rural O ntario continues to be ignored by the H arris government. used more often as a prop .than any passionate policy platform. L ambton County alone equals the agricultural production of New Brunswick, it is Ontario's second largest industry, and yet the budget offers only encouraging words, but no beef," he said in a press release. Lambton-Kent-Middlesex M1'P Marcel Beauhien "welcomed" rural initiatives named by the provincial government. • "We have listened to rural residents and remain committed to spreading the. benefits of a strong economy to all regions of the province," he said in a press release. Huron -Bruce MPP Helen Johns says farmers should benefit from an exemption from the Retail Sales Tax and families should sec improved care with the hiring of more nurse practitioners. Rural Huron County will not know for some time though how it may benefit from the $600 million Ontario Small Town and Rural Development Fund, said Johns in a telephone interview from her Toronto office. because the details have not been identified. The fund includes $200 million for economic development and $400 million for infrastructure through Superhuild. • "I'm sure our communities will he eligible," she said. "But I don't know for what projects." The program must still go through Cabinet. Regarding Superbuild, Johns said this would fund culture. tourism and recreation programs. "I hope there's money available with partnerships for arena complexes," said Johns. No money for restructuring The Ontario budget had no funding for local municipalities in the midst of amalgamation, says Johns. The South Huron Transition Board plans to apply for funding by the end of this month in the hopes there will be funding. Funding for hiring of nurses, new doctors The Ontario government is also promising $22 billion in health care spending, but nurses .say it doesn't go far enough. "We are ihcreasing our health care spending dramatically. We encourage the federal government to join with us in reforming the system in Ontario and across the country and to finally become an equal partner in the future of health care," said Finance Minister Ernie Eves in a press release. Beginning next year, the government will spend $100 million over the following four years to expand Ontario's primary care system plus $110 million in improved medical supervision in home care settings and psychiatric services and $54 million to reduce waiting time in priority programs such as cancer and cardiac care. Johns explained primary care funding means $45 million for Telehealth, a toll- free health advisory service that enables local physicians to consult specialists at the London Health Sciences Centre plus more family doctors can get together under one roof to serve the community. The Ontario government is aiming to have 80 per cent of eligible family doctors practising in primary care networks over the next four years. It means the hiring of more nurse practitioners, says Johns, but does not mean funding for the building of new centres. In a press release, the Registered Nurses Association of .Ontario (RNAO) are concerned the province did not take .action on "real primary health care reform." "In an attempt to appease doctors, government has bargained away the full utilization of nurse practitioners," said Doris Grinspun, RNAO executive director. "True primary health care reform can not exist without nurses and nurse practitioners." "This is the first government to recognize nurse practitioners. Zurich and Grand Bend have them," said Johns. She added last year there were no nurse practitioners in the area, now there are two. The association believes this new deal with doctors will lead to more expensive health care. RNAO'President Shirlee Sharkey acknowledged the government's investment in nursing during the last fiscal year, but nurses are growing concerned that the funds provided to employers have not been spent on permanent full-time positions. The Lambton-Kent- Middlesex Provincial Liberal Association gave its blessing to the balanced Ontario budget, but is disappointed that for every dollar in tax cuts, only one cent is being spent on new health care spending. "With our lack of family doctors in the Lambton and Chatham -Kent areas. there is nothing in the budget to improve front-line health care," said O'Neill. "I do congratulate them for finally balancing the budget but you don't get a medal for crossing the line in ninth place." The Ontario government says it will pay $4 million in tuition for medical students who relocate to Quoted The budget offers only encouraging words, but no beef,' -- past Liberal candidate in Lambton-Kent- Middlesex, Larry O'Neill underserviced areas and provide $2 million annually to establish a specialized OPP team to provide patrols on Ontario's snow trails and waterways. The Ontario budget has a debt reduction goal of at least $5 billion. "Beginning with this fiscal year, I have doubled our reserve by $500 million to a total of $1 ' billion every year," said Eves. "The $654 million surplus generated byt our strong economic growth in 1999 'has already been applied to 19 reduce debt. O'Neill reduced to eight per cent in 2005. Small business will also get a tax break. Ontario is proposing to cut the tax rate to four per cent by 2005. This tax cut is a bold effort to attract new businesses to the province and in turn, boost employment, said Eves. But the O ntario Federation of L abour condemned the provincial government for giving away tax breaks to corporations. Marie Baker. president of the Lambton-Kent- Middlesex Provincial L iberal Association, said, "Middle class families Quoted 'The bottom line is there's a $4 billion tax break for corporations but very little for the middle and working s poor,'-- rie Baker, president of Lambton- Kent-Middlesex Liberal Assodation said Ontario's debt stood at $88 billion when Premier Mike Harris came to power. The Ontario government says this balanced budget will advance a recent upward trend in the province's economy. Since 1998, the number of jobs available has increased to 198,000 new. jobs last year and housing starts soared by 24.9 per cent in 1999, reaching tt l0 -year high. Manufacturing tax rate cut The rovince is proposing to e manufacturing and pro ssing tax rate immediately by one per cent to 12.5 per cent and the general corporate income tax rate to 14.5 per cent. Another half per cent will be loped off in 2001, so both taxes will be continue to struggle to make ends meet while those who make more than $250,00() a year have enjoyed a $500 million tax cut. The bottom line is there's a $4 billion tax break for corporations, and a $650 million break for stock market speculators, but very little for the middle class and ' working poor families." Regarding the "Made for • Ontario" tax system. in which the province wants to collect its own income tax rather than piggybacking as a percentage of the federal income tax, Johns said approval has yet to he granted by Cabinet, Caucus and the Legislature. She said the, province is hoping for approval next year so it can - collect the 2001 taxes. 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