Responses to the BC Budget
BCGEU: BC Liberal budget lacks long-term vision
Strong social services are key to economic recovery
Mar 2 ’10
BC Liberals’ proposed 2010 budget does nothing to support vital community services and lacks the kind of long-term planning that would ensure a broad-based economic rebound says B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union…
“And while the few new subsidy dollars for child care are welcome, there is simply not enough money here to improve access to quality care.”
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BC Federation of Labour: Budget ignores jobs crisis and provides no vision for a better BC
March 2, 2010
With no help for children living in poverty, reductions to student aid and continued layoffs and cutbacks in public services, Colin Hansen’s budget fails to address the critical issues facing British Columbians.
“The success of the Olympics cannot hide the fact BC is still in the grips of a deep economic recession,” says B.C. Federation of Labour President, Jim Sinclair. “BC is still losing jobs, 4,200 full-time jobs in January alone, yet there is nothing in this budget that will protect or create jobs. Worse still, budget cuts to public services and chronic underfunding will lead to even more jobs losses and delay our economic recovery.”
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BCTF: New budget delivers more uncertainty and instability for public education
March 2, 2010
BC Liberals’ latest budget will lead to more instability and uncertainty for BC schools as downloaded costs continue to outpace government funding, BCTF President Irene Lanzinger said today.
“The government wants British Columbians to believe they are protecting education, but students, parents, and teachers should brace for more cuts,” said Lanzinger. “More schools will close, there will be more overcrowded classes, and teachers will be laid off. The government continues to be in complete denial about its role in education cuts.”
The government claims that there’s enough funding to meet the needs of BC’s public education system, but the small amount of new funding is far exceeded by rising costs. The government is asking school districts to use the small funding lift to fund salary increases and full-day Kindergarten. However, there is no new funding to deal with rising transportation and heating costs. The government also refused to fund MSP and pension increases.
“The math just doesn’t add up,” said Lanzinger. “The government is playing a shell game and it is BC’s students who are going to lose.”
Lanzinger also raised serious concerns about the government’s inability to manage BC’s public education system. In September, the government threw school districts into disarray by cancelling the $110 million in Annual Facilities Grants. The government also transferred CommunityLink funding for inner-city schools to BC’s gaming grants program. That decision forced millions of dollars of cuts to arts and sports programs. Both cuts have now been partially reversed but the instability the government caused will never be reversed.
“This government has no long-term plan to improve classroom conditions for students. There’s no plan to improve class sizes or support for students with special needs, and there is no plan to prevent school closures.”
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CUPE: Liberals further the divide in B.C. with 2010 Budget
VICTORIA—With its first post-Olympics budget, the BC Liberal government is worsening economic polarization and providing little relief to rural communities suffering from the economic crisis, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
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BC Association of Social Workers: BC Budget 2010
In spite of increased demands for child welfare services the Ministry of Children and Family Development will receive an increase of only 1.2%in 2010, with no increases in 2011 and 2012…
Evidence-based social and public policy research has a well established baseline for predicting healthy outcomes and measures of a healthy society. These include: income, unemployment/employment and food security; employment and working conditions; housing; access to health care and a social safety net; early childhood and educational opportunities and experiences; gender and equality issues and social inclusion….
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CCPA
…Funding increases in education and social services are small, barely keeping up with inflation and the increased downloaded costs. There are some additional funds for full-day kindergarten, and an additional $26 million over three years on child care subsidies for low and middle income families, but no new operating funding to enhance the accessibility of child care spaces.