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Ontario taxpayers give their two cents’ worth on crafting spring budget
From a tax credit on sex toys to Catholic school funding, Ontarians having their say on spring budget wish list

thestar.com
Jan. 12, 2016
By Rob Ferguson

From tax credits for sex toys to ending taxpayer funding of Catholic schools and raising sin taxes, Ontarians are having their say online and in person about what should be in Finance Minister Charles Sousa’s spring budget.

Sousa on Tuesday launched public consultations on the upcoming fiscal blueprint, welcoming some ideas and shooting down others as the province strives to eliminate the $7.5-billion deficit within two years.

With corporate income tax and HST revenues drooping in the economic slowdown, the finance minister hinted he’s all ears even if a number of the suggestions are all thumbs - or, ahem, involve other parts.

“I encourage Ontarians to go on that website, make your submissions, put forward your ideas,” Sousa told reporters in Toronto.

“No matter how you feel that they are, you know, far-fetched, it’s important for us to look at what those ideas may be.”

He’s looking for concepts that “ultimately could find ways to improve our spending, provide greater value for our programs and look at ways to improve revenue.”

In all likelihood, that rules out the “Universal Fleshlight Tax Credit” proposed by a man identifying himself as Mario Beaulieu, who posted the following on Dec. 27:

“We need a tax credit for fleshlights and other sex toys. They should be wholly tax deductible.”

Sousa did nix any thoughts of ending the partial sale of Hydro One and scrapping public funding for Catholic schools in favour of having one public school board - the subject of several popular proposals on the web site, where people can vote yea or nay on each idea.

“That debate has been had,” he said at a downtown Anglican church, where public submissions were heard Tuesday.

Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner, who has long proposed an end to separate school funding, said Sousa’s attitude is troublesome because it overlooks savings estimated at $1 billion annually.

“We’ve never even had the debate. None of the other parties wants to have it,” he added, saying money saved on duplicate school administrations, busing systems and buildings could be reinvested in classrooms and helping children with special needs.

Schreiner said budget consultations are little more than a public relations exercise, with the government sticking to its general plan while allowing lobby groups and others to sound off.

“Is the government actually going to listen?”

New Democrat MPP Catherine Fife (Kitchener-Waterloo) said the government is clearly ignoring calls to stop the Hydro One deal.

“It’s time for the premier and her ministers to realize the owners of Hydro One, the people of Ontario, don’t want to sell it.”

Sousa said the $9 billion expected from selling 60 per cent of Hydro One will be used to pay down debt and fund transit improvements, and looks at the concerns expressed by citizens as “an opportunity to clarify where we’re going.”

Despite concerns Ontario could lose federal equalization payments, the finance minister said “we’re on path and we’re on track” to balance the budget by the 2017-18 fiscal year, as promised.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation warned 2016 is the year Ontario will hit a debt of $300 billion, making the province the largest sub-national borrower in the world.

Sousa said he’s working to improve Ontario’s finance so as “not to pass the burden of debt on to future generations.” Auditor general Bonnie Lysyk has called on the government to come up with a plan to pay down the debt, interest on which is the third largest expense behind health care and education.

Sousa wouldn’t say when he’s planning to release his budget, but in previous years budget day has fallen anywhere between late March and late spring.

One of the submissions at Tuesday’s hearings was from the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which wants better transit options for the 300,000 people working in the “airport employment area.”

TTC bus service is not enough, the Union-Pearson Express is just a “first chapter” in what is needed, and light rail transit, Mayor John Tory’s “Smart Track” rail system and extension of the new Eglinton rail transit line to Pearson would help, said GTAA vice-president Hillary Marshall.

“We’d like to see it all connect through the airport in a multi-modal hub, a Union Station West, if you will.”

Other suggestions from almost 900 on the web site include: