MGEU President, Michelle Gawronsky, along with several MGEU representatives met this morning with Manitoba Finance Minister Stan Struthers to present recommendations about maintaining strong front-line services, finding savings in the upcoming provincial budget, and identifying revenue sources.

As part of the presentation, the MGEU presented recent public polling data that identified protecting public services and jobs as Manitobans’ overwhelming 2013 Budget priority. Manitobans also indicated they prefer a halt to job cuts in the public sector, small personal tax increases over service cuts, increasing taxes on corporations and the wealthy, and changes to balanced budget legislation.

“Manitobans have been vocal about their support for public services, and supporting services was something the current government pledged to do in past elections,” said Gawronsky. “The message we sent today is this: you received a mandate from Manitobans to invest in and support the programs and services families rely on, and as 2013 budget deliberations continue this should be the priority.”

The public poll of 805 Manitobans (conducted by Viewpoints Research from January 22nd – 31st, 2013) is considered accurate between within 3.2%, 19 times out of 20. Among the poll’s findings:

• 47% of Manitobans identified protecting public services as their top budget priority, compared to stimulating the economy (20%), balancing the budget (18.6%), or cutting taxes (11%);
• 49% of Manitobans prefer a small tax increase to protect public services than service cuts (29%);
• 80% of Manitobans want to see increased income taxes on corporations and on households with before-tax annual incomes of $200,000 to support key services;
• 77% say it’s more important to protect public services than balance budgets by arbitrary dates;
• 75% want stronger justice measures than balancing budgets by arbitrary dates;
• 74% believe we should change balanced budget legislation to bring it into line with other provinces;
• 67% of Manitobans say the government should not eliminate the 600 jobs it has announced.

Based on the public polling and the advice of its membership MGEU offered some of the following recommendations to the government as Budget 2013 deliberations continue:

• Commit to protecting public services even if it means longer to balance the budget;
• Address workloads for workers like correctional officers and social workers;
• Modernize balanced budget legislation;
• Pause the introduction of new programs until adequate resources are in place;
• Consolidate the investment arms of Manitoba’s major pension funds to strengthen financial returns;
• Increase taxes on corporations and top income earners to support key services;
• Offer multi-year funding to social service agencies and community colleges;
• Pilot community paramedicine in select rural areas to extend health care services to Manitobans;
• Better coordinate timing, tendering and contracts for large infrastructure projects;
• Strengthen government purchasing through the Materials Distribution Agency.

“We believe these are common sense proposals that allow the government to fulfill its mandate to protect vital programs and services while maintaining fiscal prudence,” Gawronsky said. “MGEU members have done their part in supporting the Manitoba economy and providing public services. Based on this new information, Manitobans clearly expect their government to protect and enhance the services they deliver.”

Read the full brief – Services First: Commonsense Proposals for the 2013 Manitoba Budget