To cut or not to cut? Worries surface about upcoming budget

CALGARY (660 NEWS) – Albertans will be watching Thursday’s budget announcement carefully as the province faces an uncertain economic future.

One group that will be following the UCP budget intently are classroom advocates.

Barbara Silva with Support Our Students expects education funding to be roughly the same as last year, but with enrolment increasing it would amount to a cut.

She believes teachers and assistants will be out of work because of this budget resulting in a less joyous experience for students.

“We’re talking about kids who are seven to 17 years old who are not going to have music, who are not going to have arts classes, whose Phys Ed is down to two classes a week instead of daily.”

Silva blames the government’s corporate tax cut for the issues facing Alberta schools such as overcrowded classrooms. She also takes issue with the UCP saying the cuts are targeted towards administration costs.

“The Minister of Education approved that budget and their administration costs must be within that legislated level. If school boards are spending more than they should or outside that limitation, the minister has approved it every single year.”

Doctors will also be paying attention to the budget as many are facing uncertainty in the wake of upcoming changes to how they’re compensated.

WATCH: Doctors concerned ahead of Alberta budget 

The UCP government ended the funding contract with the Alberta Medical Association and will introduce a new pay scale on Mar. 31.

Many doctors like Raheel Syed in Edmonton worry the changes could force more physicians out of the province.

“Is this a place where they can continue practicing here? Do they trust the government enough that the contract won’t change again?”

Syed’s comments echo those of a Canmore doctor who said the government’s changes are forcing her to close her clinic.

https://twitter.com/AngryPaleoDoc/status/1232402251475324928

Meanwhile, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) said the government needs to recognize its ongoing spending problem saying and make the necessary changes.

“We need to be tough on spending to pull Alberta out of its $70 billion debt hole,” said Alberta Director Franco Terrazzano. “The last budget increased total spending and piled billions of dollars of debt on future taxpayers so this time around, we need the government to find savings in all departments.”

Terrazzano adds the UCP need to avoid tax grabs such as what he calls the “bracket creep”.

“The government shouldn’t be reaching into our pockets with its sneaky bracket creep income tax hike. This government does not have a mandate to hike taxes or impose sneaky tax grabs and it needs to redeem itself by immediately ending bracket creep.”

Currently, the unemployment rate in Alberta remains at 7.3 per cent and has consistently been above the national rate.

Along with job creation, the United Conservatives say financial management will be central to its budget which will be tabled at 3 p.m. (MT).