Province promises “Meat and Potatoes” budget Thursday

WINNIPEG- Manitoba’s Finance Minister Jennifer Howard purchased a $35 necklace, rather than a customary pair of shoes Tuesday, two days before the provincial budget is unveiled.

Like the new jewelry– all indications are it’ll be a modest budget this year.

No new major spending, no major tax raises and no surprises from a government prone to budget controversies in recent years.

“This is a meat and potatoes kind of budget,” said Howard. “This is a budget focused on fundamentals, focused on creating good jobs. Making sure people have the training and skills for those jobs.”

Over the past two years, there have been two steep tax hikes. The first coming in 2012, after the PST was expanded to cover more items. In 2013, the PST went from 7 to 8 percent.

The moves were so unpopular, the Selinger government’s popularity plummeted.

Manitoba’s opposition leader piling on Tuesday, calling the latest financial plan a “placebo” budget.

“The two previous were the largest tax and fee grabs in the history of Manitoba. Now the NDP government is counting on Manitobans swallowing a sugar pill, forgiving and forgetting what just happened to us,” said Brian Pallister, PC Leader.

Experts are also questioning why the government is playing it safe, saying this “stay for the course” budget could mean the Selinger government is out of fresh ideas.

“When someone says stay the course, meat and potatoes basic budget… you have to sell it to me,” said Shannon Sampert, Department of Politic Science at the University of Winnipeg. “You raised taxes last year. I want more than just meat and potatoes. I want a side salad, I want some appetizers, I want a dessert.”

The province wants to bring down the deficit below 150 million this year but wouldn’t commit to saying whether the books would be balanced come 2016.

The new budget will be tabled Thursday.