Grading the Ontario Budget: From an F to a C

Last year's Ontario budget managed to break Premier McGuinty's major promises of no new taxes without consultation and no deficits. This year's budget doesn't raise taxes (though arguably this was achieved by announcing this year's health tax last year) and threatens to run deficits into 2008-09 (though that's highly unlikely, because the government will be going to the polls in 2007). At least he's focusing on core priorities and has limited spending growth to 4.5%, down from 9% last year. So are McGuinty's promises half-kept or half-broken? Love to hear your opinions.

For more on the CTF budget position,

http://www.taxpayer.com

For the budget itself,

http://www.ontariobudget.fin.gov.on.ca/