With an election year federal budget dropping on Tuesday, March 19 and some controversial tax changes forthcoming, Estevan mayor Roy Ludwig perused the federal budget and picked out a few key items that will directly impact residents in Estevan. According Mayor Ludwig, currently in his second term in the office, this budget holds some potential for Estevan if the chips fall in the right places.

"The extra infrastructure money we're happy to hear about," Ludwig said. "What that means for Estevan we don't know yet. We're hoping to get a share of what the federal government is giving to the larger cities. We'll have to wait and see what that actually means for us. In infrastructure we have a huge deficit right across the country so any money we get for that will be needed. That's a bonus. 

Much of the impact of the federal budget is still to be determined, and how much of the money Estevan receives is up in the air. For prospective home buyers, however, the budget had a nice surprise of $1.25 billion in mortgage relief first time buyers

"As far as new people buying houses, that's a positive," Ludwig said. "A lot of folks have $30,000 or $35,000 in RRSPs but this is a step in the right direction."

The training benefit announced was $250 for people needing additional training at work. It maxes out at $5000 over a lifetime. "I don't know how far $250 a year will go," said Ludwig, "but again, it's a step in the right direction."

Critics of the Liberal budget, including the Conservative Party, have said the newly released budget is just a smokescreen tactic to divert attention from the SNC Lavelin scandal. Ludwig was relatively coy about his opinions on that subject.

"I think politics is politics," he said. "At the municipal level we're closer to the people we represent than at the federal or provincial level but the political debate in Ottawa will continue unabated I'm sure."

The budget also included debt and deficit predictions. Both are expected to rise, with the national debt heading for $685.6 billion. The government also promised to spend $1.2 billion on border security and asylum systems over the next five years.