Victoria's big surplus fails to impress Coons; North Coast MLA says it was at expense of needed services
The Daily News - Prince Rupert
July 13, 2007
By: Leanne Ritchie

North Coast MLA Gary Coons is concerned that services for families, students, seniors, and other British Columbians are being sacrificed so that government spending looks good on paper.

"Deliberately under-budgeting in order to produce large surpluses on paper is not sound financial management," said Coons. "Our hospitals and schools are struggling with a lack of resources because of deliberate under-funding by the Campbell government."

On Wednesday, Finance Minister Carole Taylor announced a record $4.1 billion surplus for the last fiscal year.

Taylor said the surplus, along with a drawdown of cash balances, allowed the province to reduce debt by $1 billion and finance a record $3.4-billion investment in building and upgrading schools, universities, colleges, hospitals, roads and bridges to improve services and meet the needs of a growing economy.

However, Coons noted that British Columbia, usually seen as a land of prosperity, has had a higher rate of child poverty than any other Canadian province for two consecutive years.

Recent childcare subsidies for children under three were reduced by two dollars a day and many school districts in the province have been forced to cut teachers because of budget shortfalls.

"Services on the ground, including the Berry Patch Child Care Resource and Referral, and local child care centres have had to deal with repeated cuts in government support," Coons said. "If the government has more than four billion dollars stashed away for a rainy day, why are families on the North Coast struggling with child care cuts? Why are there no concrete strategies or initiatives to deal with poverty issues?"

He said the surplus shows clear failure on the part of the Liberals to use public money wisely…