Legislative Report

More Equity Required in Funding for Education

For years the people of rural Saskatchewan have been asking for more equity in the funding of education. Paying such a high portion of the provincial education tax bill has been a struggle that has kept a stranglehold on an agricultural industry that has been stretched to the limit over the last number of years.

The recent announcement by the Premier is definitely a step in the right direction and relief for agricultural landowners is much over due. However, what the government has provided back to taxpayers is really only a third of what they take in from the PST hike. The Boughen Commission on Education Property Tax Reform recommended the Province hike the PST by 1% and put what was raised into funding education. The province hiked the PST and raked in $150 million annually and now the province is giving back $52 million.

So, what that means is that for every three dollars the government takes from Saskatchewan taxpayers from the PST hike, it is only giving one dollar back. We in the Saskatchewan Party believe that the government must also address the needs of all property tax payers and provide similar relief to them.

Past Legislative Reports