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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, May 1, 2015 | 6 A budget too good to be true? In a progressive budget lled with "investments" -- in transit, in roads, in infrastructure, and in job creation -- the Ontario Liberals delivered a crowdpleasing package that contained something for everyone. And they say they will do it all without raising taxes, which is music to the ears of the majority of Ontarians who elected Kathleen Wynne as Premier last spring. But we have been checking the math, and something doesn't add up. While initiatives such as the privatization of the LCBO and local utilities promise to generate as much as $4.57 billion for projects across the province, Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa's nearly 400-page document cites a price tag of some $130 billion over 10 years for transit infrastructure alone. Education spending is also key in the 2015 budget. The Liberals have promised to invest an additional $11 billion of our tax dollars over the next decade in improving existing schools and building new ones. The cost of youth employment programs, including apprenticeships, training and support, will run another $565 million over two years. The cost side of the ledger also includes an ambitious Mental Health strategy with a price tag of $138 million. There is also a commitment to roll out its Ontario Retirement Pension Plan to provide security for seniors across the province. Sousa's budget forecasts running de cits of $8.5 billion in 2015/16 and $4.8 billion in 2016/17 -- a signi cant drop from the reported $10.9 billion de cit in 2013/14. Certainly, this list of costs and revenues is incomplete, but we can't help but wonder how, exactly, the province will pay for all of these investments, while decreasing the de cit? Already, with the proposed introduction of the cap and trade system -- not a tax -- to reduce carbon emissions, Ontarians should expect to pay more at the pumps. We wonder how many other cash-generating initiatives will follow. After all, no matter where it comes from, the money ultimately come from the pockets of those people who live and do business in this province. And those pockets are not bottomless. While the Liberals -- the same party that delivered such costly debacles as the Ornge and gas plant scandals -- have outlined an ambitious plan that comprises some very great things, we just want to remind them that "progressive" does not have to mean scally irresponsible. As anyone who has had to balance a budget of any size will tell you: in the end, the left side and the right side of the ledger have to add up. That's the bottom line. In this case, they just do not. Editorial T H E R E W H E N Y O U N E E D "Connected to your Community" T H E M 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington ON L7L 5Z1 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 53 | Number 35 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS Halton's emergency responders kicked off Emergency Preparedness Week (May 3-9) at a First Responder's Day celebration Wednesday (April 29). Pictured from left, are: re ghters Kevin Dudek, Mano Krueger, Alex Shipley, and Trevor Edmond, Halton Regional Police Chief Stephen Tanner, Halton Paramedic Services Deputy Chief Christine Barber, Oakville Fire Department Deputy-Chief Brian Durdin and Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. In front, are resident Zerezghi Haile, Halton Region employee Andrea Montgomery, Raine Montgomery, Jayden Montgomery, and Don Goshgarian. Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production | photo by Eric Riehl ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) SANDY PARE MARK DILLS Letters to the Editor Thanks for the kindness: Bronte Legion On behalf of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 486 in Bronte, we wish to thank the private citizen who placed Tim Hortons cards on the windshields of our veterans cars. The cards thanked veterans for "serving Canada and my freedom, this is just a small token for serving Canada and for our freedom ­ signed, from a grateful Canadian." This random act of kindness and generosity has been acknowledged by the general membership of Branch 486. Amanda Daly, on behalf of Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 486 Bronte MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Resident says Oakville has too many buses I have lived on the Wildwood Drive/Bridge Road bus route before its conception. Since I am now retired after working for an industry that saw its share of waste, it is easy for me to identify waste, especially when it is created by our municipal government in Oakville. Since this waste is costing Oakville taxpayers every day, I want to bring it to Oakville residents' attention. Currently Oakville has many large buses (98, I believe) that are greatly under-utilized most of their operating hours. I believe many of these large buses should be sold and replaced by fewer smaller buses along with a reduction in the number of routes. The cost of capital for these buses, the maintenance, administration, upkeep, along with daily operating costs such as labour and fuel, far exceeds the revenue. Who pays the shortfall? We do; the taxpayer. For example, there are four bus routes running parallel, east-west in a small area that could be combined. They are Lakeshore Road, Rebecca Street, Wildwood Drive/Bridge Road, and Speers Road. The frequency averages approximately 35 minutes. The buses on these routes begin before 6 a.m. and continue until approximately midnight for three of the routes. I have personally followed these buses and at most times fewer than ve people are on a bus that could carry 40. Many times the driver has only one or two passengers. This is not a unique situation as the same thing repeats itself on many current bus routes in Oakville. When does someone responsible for this situation do something? Walter Foster, Oakville Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington ON L7L 5Z1 or via email to ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. 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