Debate starts today on the 2020 States Budget, with 15 policy-changing amendments to Policy & Resources’ proposed budget and four late amendments by the senior committee giving options for how some of these could be funded.
Although Deputy St Pier and his committee have put forward a balanced budget, it contains warnings about the ever-increasing cost of public services and the island’s weakening financial performance.
A proposed 5.2% increase in personal tax allowances and document duty changes to help people get onto the property ladder are rare bright spots in a Budget that will hit people’s pockets in other ways.
Employment & Social Security wants to further increase the amount people on benefits are entitled to by increasing the income support cap from £750 to £850 per week, while there are also calls for £300,000 and £900,000 injections into Guernsey Finance and the Data Protection Authority respectively.
TRP rates increases and additional uplifts in alcohol duty are just a couple of the revenue-raising measures under consideration if funding for this and other things is to be financed.
Deputy St Pier opened debate this morning by saying that this budget – the eighth consecutive one he has drawn up – was balanced and reasonable, but had been difficult to compile.
“This is the antithesis of the pre-election giveaway budgets that we are used to in other jurisdictions.”
Pictured top: Deputy Gavin St Pier.