Randy Pettapiece, MPP for Perth Wellington.  Photo courtesy of Martin Dendekker.Randy Pettapiece, MPP for Perth Wellington. Photo courtesy of Martin Dendekker.
Midwestern

Perth-Wellington MPP: Fall Economic Statement a Fiscal Fairy Tale

Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece says the Liberals' Fall Economic Statement needs a healthy dose of reality.

He says provincial government spending is out of control when it comes to reducing the deficit and at the end of the day, it's the taxpayers who will feel the pinch.

Pettapiece says the government's claim of reducing the provincial deficit projection to a $7.5 billion from the original $8.5 billion is nothing but creative accounting.

"The government used a billion dollars in reserve funding and another 1.1 billion from the Ontario Hydro One fire sale to do this and that's why they're claiming to be able to get their deficit under control," MPP Pettapiece told CKNX News on Monday night.

He adds by doing this, it tells rate payers of Perth-Wellington and the rest of the province that they (the provincial government) don't have their spending under control.

"What that says is they don't have an income problem, they have a spending problem," says Pettapiece, adding, "it just tells the rate payers of Perth-Wellington that they don't have things under control and it's going to be very difficult for them to do this unless they sell more assets."

Pettapiece says in order to cover the provincial debt, every man, woman and child in the province currently owes $21,642 calling the current situation little more than a fiscal fairy tale.

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