At Work for You:
I am proud of the people and communities that make up Halifax Needham. As your voice at the decision-making table, I have worked hard to make sure your needs are met and your concerns heard loud and clear. Below are some of the accomplishments that make our communities and all of Nova Scotia an even better place to live, work and raise a family.
Results in 2010:
Creating the secure jobs Nova Scotia's economy needs.• Reduced the small business tax rate for the first time since 1992.
• Encouraged growth with our Manufacturing and Processing Tax Credit.
• Invested in roads and bridges as part of the second year of economic stimulus.
• Strategic green jobs investment in TrentonWorks to build wind turbines.
Improving our health and health care.
• Ended the practice of charging seniors security deposits in long-term care facilities.
• Began helping to cover travel and accommodation for Nova Scotians who need out-of-province medical care.
• Opening more hospital beds to reduce overcrowding in Emergency Rooms.
• Establishing a Rapid Assessment Unit to help patients move faster through the province’s largest emergency room.
• Increase the number of nurse practitioners assigned to improve care in nursing homes.
• Setting up “pre-hab” medical teams in more regions of the province to help patients get ready for surgery - and recover faster.
Ensuring more young people stay and build a life here in Nova Scotia.
• Created 250 new community college seats targeted to high-demand trades.
Keeping our communities strong.
• Increased funding to womens’ shelters for the first time in over a decade.
• Introduced an Affordable Living Tax Credit. If your household makes less than $30,000 a year, you qualify for the full credit. In July, 225,000 households will start to receive these quarterly payments. No application is needed. This tax credit will not be considered income.
• Distributed grants for after-school Lighthouse program for youth.
• Subsidizing 400 new childcare spaces.
• Investing $128 million in affordable housing units.
• Any senior who receives the Guaranteed Income Supplement will no longer pay provincial income tax, returning $12.5 million to about 18,000 senior citizens.
• We ended the injustice of having seniors pay deposits in long-term care facilities.
Living within our means.
• Our first piece of legislation in the spring session created an open and accountable system for MLA expenses.
• We have set tough but manageable savings targets, adding up to $772 million by 2013.
Results in 2009:
Creating the secure jobs Nova Scotia's economy needs.• Introduced a 10% Manufacturing and Processing Investment Tax Credit.
• Increased the equity tax credit to help large and small businesses.
• Increasing renewable energy and introducing Clean Air Grants.
• Kick-started new home construction with a 1 year tax rebate program.
Improving our health and health care.
• Appointed a provincial advisor for emergency patient care.
• Passed legislation requiring public accountability to communities experiencing department closures.
• Banned the mining of uranium.
• Funding and developing seniors' safety programs.
Ensuring more young people stay and build a life here in Nova Scotia.
• Introduced a Retention Rebate for university and community college graduates.
Keeping our communities strong.
• Established the after-school Lighthouse program for youth.
• Unveiled dozens of projects to improve roads and bridges.
• Energy retrofits for community outreach organizations.
Living within our means.
• Commissioned an independent audit to determine the true state of provincial finances.
• Put the Legislature back to work for Nova Scotians by sitting for the longest period in over a decade.
• Began an expenditure management review, with a target of 1% savings.
