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Originally Posted by Slava
I’ll answer your question with a question. In that position do you ramp up your spending?
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Depends on what that spending is going towards. timun provided the budget summary that does see increased operational expenses year over year, but you'd have to look at each budget to see where the expenses are going. I did a quick look for 2015-2016 and there were significant investments in things to try and make life less expensive for Albertans.
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Budget 2015 reflects total 2015-16 spending of $49.9 billion, which is an increase of $1.5 billion over the March 2015 budget released by the previous government. This spending is expected to increase to $52.3 billion in 2017-18. Primary sources of these expenditures in 2015-16 include:
- $19.7 billion for health, up $800 million from the March 2015 budget, including increased funding for expanded public homecare, long-term care spaces, as well as $10 million for a mental health strategy;
- $7.6 billion for education, including $20 million for a targeted school nutrition program and longer term efforts to reduce school fees;
- $5.7 billion for advanced education, including a two-year freeze on tuition and a rollback on market modifiers in 25 specific programs; and
- $4.3 billion for human services.
In an effort to support jobs, growth and diversification, $299 million is earmarked for the new Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, including $50 million in new funding over two years for Alberta Enterprise Corporation.
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Government borrowing is much more stable than personal borrowing. So I see that in times were a lot of people are probably struggling for the same reason that the GoA has a revenue problem, and for the same reason, it's reasonable to borrow.