The NDP’s ‘highimare’ deficit Victoria — If Premier Harcourt wants to make goed on his promise to balance the provincial budget over the term of his government’s current mandate, he*’s got his work cut out for him. A couple of weeks ago, cabinet got its first look at the Treasury Board’s spending plan for the next fiscal year. According to Finance Minister Glen Clark, it wasn’t a pretty sight. Nobody will say how big the deficit of the current budget is going to be, but $2 billion might tum out to be a close guess. Keeping the deficit for the coming fiscal year under the $2 billion mark will be a difficult task already. But there’s also the question of the current budget deficit, which will probably also be around the $2 billion mark. Remember that the current budget was never — passed by the legislature. Most of the day-to-day government spending has been done by way of supply bills and special warrants. The supply bills were passed by the legislature. They authorized the previous government to spend a certain amount of money, until the budget was actually passed. But that never happened. Enter special warrants. Ever since the last legislative session collapsed, the previous govern- ment, as well as the new one, have kept the province financially afloat with special warrants, authorized by cabinet. And while the Socreds were spending money like mad hatters, trying to salvage their disinte- grating administration, they kept insisting that the deficit was under control. As late as last October, during the election campaign, then finance minister John Jansen stubbornly maintained that the deficit was around $580 million. That bubble burst when former premier Rita Johnston admitted that, yes, the scrapping of the Budget Stabilization Fund with its non-existing money put the actual deficit closer to $1.2 billion. But the current finance minister says that wasn’t the half of it, hinting that the real shortfall was Closer to $2 billion. Based on an interest rate of 10 per cent, the service charges of that $2 billion deficit will add at least $200 million a year to future budgets. Small wonder the new finance minister isn’t amused and doesn’t miss an opportunity to elaborate the financial mess the Socreds left behind. The horror stories they’re finding out, he Says, go beyond partisan politics. The word nightmare, he says, comes to mind. Well, if the current*budget deficit actually comes in at a $2 billion deficit, and the new budget projects another $2 billion shortfall, then nightmare is probably the right word. For the past four months, the Treasury Board, consisting of nine cabinet ministers, has been pouring over the figures. The nine include the _ three ministers who are spending most of the taxpayers’ money — Health Minister Elizabeth Cull, Education Minister Anita Hagen and Social Services Minister Joan Smallwood. In light of the province’s tight financial posi- tion, they have had to make some tough choices. All ministries were instructed some months back to submit budget estimates that are at least five per cent below last year’s spending. Some ministries will have their spending sev- erely curtailed. Nobody should be surprised, for instance, if the highways budget will be trimmed to the bone. Highways Minister Art Charbonneau has already stated that the government will not engage in any wholesale blacktopping of the province. Instead, the government is concentrating the current level of social services. The new school lunch program, one of the NDP’s major election promises, is just one example. 2 The problem is that highways construction and maintenance creates jobs, school lunch programs don’t. Clark is quite aware of that. “If you want to fund a school lunch program and you don’t want to increase the deficit, then you have to find the money within the budget. You have to cut somewhere else,” he says. And cut, they will. This NDP government is determined to get a second mandate from the voters, and if they have to be fiscally conservative ~ to succeed, they will be conservative. The business community has already sensed that Harcourt is anything but a socialist when it comes to spending money. I have yet to hear any criticism to speak of from business people. The question is how the traditional NDP supporters will react to a budget will probably bear close resemblance to Bill Bennett’s restraint budget. It is they Harcourt will have to worry about. During the party leader’s debate on TV, Johnston kept prodding Harcourt to “give us the numbers.” He didn’t then, but a few weeks from now, she'll get the numbers, including those for which her government must accept responsibility. TheReview Wednesday, February 26,1992 —. A7 Exclusive to Sunflower a full range of spices, freeze dried and organic plus five Curry Blends and French Sea Salt. 7060 W. SAANICH RD. Baas 652-6313 652-1211 Ms 4 School patrollers set for jamboree _, THEY'RE OUT IN THE morning, only to return in the afternoon, clad in rain gear with fluorescent crosses and equipped with large red Stop signs. Often they’re unsung heroes. But the B.C. Automobile Association and the Saanich School District are working to give some recog- nition. They have begun a search for school patrollers to participate in the BCAA’s upcoming jamboree, to be held June 5-7 in Vancouver. It’s an Opportunity to recognize the contribution - school patrollers make to traffic safety, said BCAA Victoria manager John Ratel. About 70 school patrollers from: four school districts will participate in a three-day event. eK A SIDNEY PHOTOGRAPHER’S work graces this years cover of B.C. Tel’s Saanich Peninsula Neighborhood Directory. The husband and wife team of Chris and Jan Cheadle captured the colorful shot of sailboats, at full sail on a glistening sea, off the Peninsula. A photo credit is carried on the inside back cover of the popular directory. ee * : IT’S ONLY FEBRUARY but already organiz- ers are getting ready for the 1992 edition of the Sidney Days Celebration. Traditionally held on the Canada Day long weekend, Sidney Days features three fun-filled days that includes boat- building contests, fireworks and loads of events for the entire family in Tulista Park and other venues. The Peninsula Celebrations Society is the ~ organizer and the people who make it happen are volunteers. If you, or someone you know, would like to join in the fun as a volunteer, call president Rowena Nunn at 656-2229. xk & < OA ER ae UY TL * KX IF YOU’RE BETWEEN 9 and 13 years of age and the rain hasn’t slowed the creative juices, a one-day program for budding television produc- ers, artists and scientists may tickle your fancy. Saturday at UVic kids can create works of art and test their science experiments in a laboratory during Kids on Campus. Scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., youngsters can register for morning or _ afternoon workshops in television production, painting, clay modeling, astronomy, drama, phys- ics, fossil study and the swashbuckling world of pirates. The fee is $30, and youngsters should bring a lunch. For information call 721-7874 or to register call 721-8451. KK x REMEMBER FEBRUARY is Heart Month, a ’ time when canvassers with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. canvass for donations. This year the organization wishes to raise $7.7 million, including donations from the Yukon. * OX B.F-.Goodrich 1/2 PRICE Sie BUY ONE TIRE AT REGULAR PRICE RECEIVE THE SECOND TIRE AT HALF PRICE. GURTON'S GARAGE LTD, TIRE LAND SIDNEY VISA * SHELL * MASTERCARD Wie GZ . YNZ i) a | BEAT THE RUSH \\ get your LAWNMOWER NOW! Z, Includes: oil change clean air filter inspect spark plug sharpen & balance blade lubricate \ moving parts RICHLOCK RENTALS Sales/Service * Parts exira (Opposite Slegg Lumber) Sidney TODAY'S | REAL ESTATE Arlene Davidsen SS a EY MINIMIZING THE STRESS OF A MOVE Buying or selling a home is right up there on the top ten list of stress triggers. Often, a move is combined with yet another major stress inducer, like a job change, marriage, divorce or other situation that could, by itself, turn you into a basket case. Even we don’t have a magic pill that will make it a piece of cake. Whenever property changes hands, it gets complicated, and a lot can happen to threaten the transaction. Once there is a meeting of the minds on price and terms, both sides will feel some regrets. Then the termite man finds them, the appraiser gets cranky and turns in a low number, the settlement attorney finds a cloud on the title and the lender confuses the buyers for notorious deadbeats. These situations can get scary if you don’t know how to handle them, and we do. Let our years of experience and market saavy serve you. Consult with us on your next move. Give us a call, Tim or Arlene, at 652-5171. NRS Properties Ltd. Tim Zahar Corner of McTavish & E. Saanich Rd. 656-3939 | ——$—>