Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley said Premier Danielle Smith broke her promises from the last election with Budget 2024. “Today’s budget did not deliver the affordability families need,” said Notley at a Thursday press conference. “It did not deliver any plan on how to fix the chaotic mess the UCP (United Conservative Party) has made of our healthcare or address the crushing pressures the UCP has put on our schools.” While Albertans understand inflation, Notley said Smith does not. Budget 2024 says inflation and population numbers are at 6.2%. Services are stalled at 3.9%. That means services will not be available when they are needed. As the Alberta UCP headed into 2024, Notley said its fiscal plan failed people with healthcare, education, insurance and utility costs and tax relief. In other words, business as usual was not a goal for anyone. Although Smith had promised more money in people’s pockets, that is not the case today, said Notley, accusing Smith of breaking her main promise from the last campaign by not cutting income taxes. At every turn, she alleged Smith and the UCP are breaking promises to Albertans when families need help the most. She called Budget 2024 “simply not built on the foundation that will deal with the major issues facing the province.” If Albertans are injured or ill, she said they deserve to know they can get care at a hospital near them. Instead, she said Budget 2024 fails to staff up hospitals and healthcare facilities with the necessary staff. Alberta’s hospitals are in crisis. However, Alberta Health Services received a 1.3% spending increase. In education, Notley said no significant spending has been made on schools. She said Albertans expect their children to have desks to sit in at schools rather than being crammed in music rooms. Twenty-eight thousand students are entering Alberta schools each year. The Alberta government is spending enough for 30,000 spaces over the next three years. Notley concluded by saying Smith has the wrong priorities. “This budget will not support a vibrant and growing Alberta,” she said. Notley followed up by saying Budget 2024 is engaging in slight of hand tactics. “They’re playing around with the money to create a short-term investment in the Heritage Trust Fund to distract from the fact they broke their main promise,” she said. “We didn’t make that promise to Albertans, she did.” Rather than keep the promise, the UCP broke it. Since money is being fooled around with, she said people cannot trust Smith.Canadian Taxpayers Federation Alberta Director Kris Sims said Budget 2024 has good and bad elements. “The good news is the budget is balanced,” said Sims. “So this is excellent, especially when compared to our provincial neighbours.” .With the small surplus, Sims said this is good news. She added it is positive the Alberta government has tied spending to inflation and population growth. While there are some positives, she said it is bad the Alberta government is going to slow roll the income tax cuts. The Alberta government promised lower income taxes by 2024 in the last election. Now it is going to take two years. She said the new land transfer tax could cause some pain for taxpayers. If people buy a home worth $450,000, it is going to cost people an additional $900. While some might say the land transfer tax is small, she pointed out "that is how these things start.” Governments claim new taxes start off small and should not scare people. She used an analogy of bringing home a baby alligator. At first, the baby alligator is small and his bites do not hurt. The baby alligator will grow into a large animal and start to eat people. “So no, we should not be creating new taxes here in Alberta,” she said. The Alberta government said on Thursday Budget 2024 is a responsible plan to address priorities it has, but it will increase spending by $5.2 billion — or a 2.7% increase — from Budget 2023. READ MORE: ALBERTA BUDGET 2024: Government plans to run a $367 million surplus with its $73.5 billion budgetAdditionally, the Alberta government is predicting a $367 million surplus with its $73.5 billion budget, which is $2.1 billion lower than the third quarter forecast for 2023/2024. Budget 2023 cost $68.3 billion.“Alberta is growing,” said Alberta Treasury Board President and Finance Minister Nate Horner.
