It's been a devastating week for SUMA members, and we want you to know that we are here to fight on your behalf.

Wednesday's provincial budget was expected to be tough, but even SUMA was unprepared for the crisis some of our members now face. We were disappointed by the continued and further downloading we heard about on Wednesday, but more than 100 of our members were ambushed with massive cuts that negate any sense of relief we felt over the revenue sharing formula surviving intact. 

We immediately began asking for details on the cuts to grants in lieu, but it took more than 24 hours to get a response from the provincial government, and we still have unanswered questions, as we told you in this morning's email. 

During yesterday's strategic planning session, the Board and administration continued working diligently to respond to your questions, and we realized the situation was even more dire than we first thought. 

Municipal revenue sharing is being effectively gutted for urban municipalities by provincial government downloading, and revenue clawbacks. The Province is  taking  $36 million from more than 100 SUMA members, and still expects them to be grateful that there were no cuts to revenue sharing. What good is revenue sharing if you are losing up to half the amount through the loss of grants in lieu, as Yorkton is? We've calculated the cuts for affected members, and compared them to the 2017-18 revenue sharing amounts. We are disgusted by these numbers.

SUMA was also blindsided by the government's decision to eliminate the Saskatchewan Transportation Company (STC). Our  position on STC  has been clear since July 2016: This is  a vital service to Saskatchewan's hometowns.  People and businesses are being stranded by these cuts. Yet we had no idea it would be shuttered until the budget was officially brought down. This is  a slap in the face to all SUMA members,  but especially those in the north.

Our members are outraged, and so are we. Provincial cuts and downloading dominated our discussions during yesterday's strategic planning session and today's Board of Directors meeting. We want you to know that SUMA has never stopped our work to promote, protect, and (most importantly this week) defend your interests. 

We will continue to fight on your behalf in the face of a provincial budget that has devastated and ambushed our members, making you out to be the bad guys if you raise property taxes (because what other option do you have?) thanks to these cuts. 

We are a fact-based organization, committed to serving our members. Because SUMA is the voice of urban Saskatchewan.

We will be a strong voice. We will be a loud voice. 

We will amplify your voice. 

Stay tuned for details.