[Dion]

Provincial budget fails to meet accounting standards: Auditor general

Merwan Saher reiterated his concerns that the budget is confusing for Albertans to understand and ranks only “second best” to the type of information they should be provided.

“From my experience and just observing from the sidelines, a lot of time is spent interpreting the different formats ... time that could be spent actually debating the essence of the budget itself,” he said.

Saher has raised concerns about the budget presentation previously after opposition parties and taxpayer groups complained that the new format, introduced by Finance Minister Doug Horner last year, masked the size of deficits and failed to meet reporting criteria set out in legislation.

Former PC finance ministers Jim Dinning and Ted Morton have also levelled scathing criticism recently against the government for clouding the province’s finances with the controversial budget format.

Tory MLA Janice Sarich also raised concerns with finance officials Wednesday about the accounting practices.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/po...390/story.html