Provincial Government Punishing Hometowns

Provincial Government Punishing Hometowns

Mar 28, 2017

Saskatchewan hometowns are reeling this week as the reality of the provincial budget continues to sink in. The 2017 provincial budget stripped $36 million of payments in lieu from Saskatchewan’s urban municipalities — a move that the SUMA (SUMA) is calling on the provincial government to reverse.

“We expected last week’s provincial budget to be tough, but nothing prepared us for the crisis some of our members now face,” SUMA President Gordon Barnhart said. “The province has eliminated $36 million in funding from more than 100 hometowns without consultation after most municipalities’ budgets have already been finalized. Many councils will need to hike property taxes to stay in the black.”