Legislative Report
(2 September 2009)

Property Tax Relief

Many Saskatchewan people are now seeing first-hand the benefits of our government’s historic property tax cuts. Tax notices in rural municipalities across the province are going out over the next few weeks.

Under the NDP, property owners in Saskatchewan shouldered a greater share of education costs than any other province in Canada. When they failed to act, approximately 150 rural municipalities launched the biggest tax revolt in Saskatchewan history. During the 2003 election, the NDP promised to cut property taxes. As soon as the election was over, they increased the PST by 1%. In fact, the NDP has been saying that they would change the way education was funded since Tommy Douglas was Premier, yet they did nothing.

In the 2009-10 budget, our government brought in a new funding system for kindergarten to grade 12 education, which includes cutting and capping education property tax rates by setting province-wide mill rates for each of the three major property classes - residential, commercial and agricultural. In 2009, the overall amount of tax paid by property owners to fund education will be reduced by $103 million, or 14 per cent, compared to last year. This will be reduced by a further $53 million in 2010. At that point, the provincial government will be funding about 66 per cent of the cost of education, up from 51 per cent this year. For example:

• A farmer in the RM of Webb will see $999 in education tax savings on every ten quarter sections of farmland.
• In the RM of Cupar, a farm family will pay $1092 less in education property tax on every ten quarter sections of farmland.
• A family that owns a home in Kamsack worth $80,000 in 2008 will save $673, despite a nine per cent increase in assessment.
• A similarly valued home in Craik will see an $802 decrease in education taxes, despite an increase of 20.3 per cent to the taxable assessment.

Your Saskatchewan Party government is proud to deliver the largest reduction in education property taxes in Saskatchewan's history. Through tax cuts and other measures, we are building for the future.

BANNING TEXTING AND HAND-HELD CELL PHONE USE WHILE DRIVING

Our government is taking action to save lives through a proposed ban on texting and talking on your cell phone without a hands-free device while driving. We will bring forward legislation in the fall to address what is a growing problem, particularly among young people, that can have tragic consequences.

Recent studies find people who send text messages while driving are 23 times more likely to be in a crash – or near-crash – than those who don’t. The same study says texting takes a driver’s focus away from the road for 4.6 seconds – enough time to travel the length of a football field going 55 miles per hour. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says driver distraction is responsible for eight out of ten collisions – and texting is one of the most common distractions.

There are currently 14 U.S. states and the District of Columbia that have bans on texting while driving. In Canada, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland have all passed laws banning cell phone use while driving. Newfoundland has also banned texting. Ontario and British Columbia are also expected to enact a ban on texting. Alberta, Manitoba and P.E.I. are considering similar laws.

KEEPING ANOTHER PROMISE

Your Saskatchewan Party government continues to keep our promise to make communities safer through the Witness Protection Act. The Act came into effect September 1st, and will protect witnesses testifying against individuals charged with criminal activities. The new law will also provide protection to associates or family members who may be at risk from organized crime members. Activities undertaken under provincial authority provided under the Act will complement the efforts of police and prosecutors to combat organized crime and gang activity.

The Act offers support for witnesses who do not need extreme protective measures, such as identity change and permanent relocation, offered by the RCMP under the federal Witness Protection Program. Under this legislation, Corrections, Public Safety and Policing officials will make arrangements on behalf of witnesses for protection services.

Our government promised to make Saskatchewan communities safer and we are keeping that promise.

Past Legislative Reports