By Angela Hill

Saskatchewan Advantage, SaskParty tables budget

Mar 23, 2011 | 2:21 PM

Saskatchewan Finance Minister Ken Krawetz has tabled a budget with a focus on reducing provincial debt and lowering taxes.

Krawetz talked about “The Saskatchewan Advantage” meaning, they will post a surplus while other provinces are recording deficits.

The 2011-12 Budget cuts taxes by almost $200 million and these changes includes the following, the basic personal income tax exemption increased to over $14,000 and education property taxes will be reduced by a total of $55.6 million.

Small businesses are set to see commericial tax rates drop to two per cent.

The government is spending $34 million on the Children and Youth Agenda to improve child welfare, education and health care.

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There are increases to health, including an average base-funding increase of 9.7 per cent across the health regions and municipalities finally get the delayed one point of PST in its revenue-sharing deal.

In order to have post-secondary institutions hold tuition increases to an average of three per cent per year, the budget invests $24.6 million through Advanced Education.

As far as the Ministry of Corrections, Public Safety and Policing, the budget has allowances for $13.2 million extra for policing services, an 8.5 per cent increase. Also Pine Grove Correctional Centre in Prince Albert is set to receive $7 million to begin construction of a 32-cell addition.

For more on what the budget means for Prince Albert:

Education tax cut means savings for PA residents

Health Region receives increase from budget

ahill@panow.com