Freedom Flyer 27

the official newsletter of the
Freedom Party of Ontario

April 1995

"JUST WINDOW DRESSING,"
SAYS PLANT OF BUDGET PROCESS

LONDON (March 6, 1995) - In his second annual address to the London Board of Education on its budget process, Fp leader Jack Plant followed up on his previous year's message by concluding that public school board budget hearings are a futile and frustrating experience for those making submissions.

BUDGET PROCESS MUTED

"The most expensive and significant issues are teachers' salaries and mandated programs," said Plant, "yet we are constantly reminded that Board trustees and administration are relatively powerless to act in these areas. From the very beginning, our input to the budget process is muted. All that ratepayers can do is to criticize the Board - take out their frustrations on you - and perhaps suggest where you can nibble and chip away at marginal cost-cutting measures which do not address our real budgetary problems."

Plant went on to criticize the documentation provided to ratepayers and trustees, citing its inadequacy as a decision-making document: "We can look at the figures, but have no way of knowing whether or not we are overspending in certain areas or underspending in others. We have no way of determining where, or how, we, at the local level, can make a difference to these figures.

"Why do we even bother with these hearings?" he asked. "What is it we can effectively accomplish here?"

RECOMMENDATIONS

Citing the fact that the bulk of education spending is salaries and provincially-mandated social programs, Plant put forth three key recommendations with respect to the budget process itself:

A call for budgetary information and reports to SEGREGATE MANDATED EXPENSES from those which are not. This would allow trustees and the public to target their efforts on those areas where they DO have some say.
A call for a COMPREHENSIVE AUDIT as a means to establish proper accountability and consistent, meaningful reporting procedures.
A call to have a REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE PROVINCIAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION PRESENT at local board budget hearings so that ratepayers can direct their suggestions to someone who can address the largest part of the budget.

PRINCIPLES OF EQUITY?

Plant concluded his presentation by challenging the Board to reflect the wishes of its constituents by reassessing its stated commitment to "principles of equity": "A December 1993 Gallup Poll found that 74% of Canadians are opposed to government equity programs, yet such programs are still endorsed by the federal government, the provincial government, the municipal government, and the Board. All of these governments are making decisions that most Canadians do not agree with."

Plant also expressed his shock at the Board's "vision paper" which stated that the aim of the Board is to prepare students for a "post-capitalist" world.

"I don't understand how anyone would assume we are entering a post-capitalist world," he exclaimed. "We are not entering a post-CAPITALIST world, but rather, a post-SOCIALIST world. A prime example of this is the inevitable cutbacks in provincial grants. These grants represent a redistribution of wealth by governments - a purely SOCIALIST phenomenon, both in theory and in practice. The CAPITALIST world of the future will demand quality education, a spirit of entrepreneurship, accurate literacy and numeracy skills, a focus on individualism, high standards of excellence, and above all, choice."

GET THE DETAILS! Copies of Mr. Plant's address to the London Board of Education are available to FP members and supporters on request.