RICK HOWE
Halifax News Net

                 They promised us no tax hikes, no program cuts and a balanced budget next year during the spring election campaign. But now it looks like the Dexter government won't be able to avoid raising taxes, cutting services and delaying that balanced budget because of the sorry state of Nova Scotia's finances. We're on a path to the poor house and short term pain is needed to avoid seeing the province's deficit top $1 billion in just a few short years if nothing is done. That is not a legacy Premier Darrell Dexter wants to leave Nova Scotians.Critics like Liberal leader Stephen McNeil say the NDP should have known better than make those promises during the campaign. Perhaps so, but  the blame game can wait, though the finger can be pointed at 10 years of Tory rule, especially the last three years under Rodney MacDonald. Right now is the time to focus on turning things around. I think we have to cut the Dexter government some slack and hope it can bring this province back to sound financial footing. If not, this will be a one-term government with little chance Nova Scotians will ever elect the New Democrats to office again.

                       The premier says a freeze on public sector wages is not part of his plan to restore financial sanity. Thousands of provincially employed or funded workers have contracts that have already expired or will by March. Premier Dexter says he believes in the collective bargaining process though his government has already stated workers will be held to 1% salary increases. We'll see. Stay tuned.

                     Students at Citadel High in Halifax seemed unphased by yesterday's stabbing incident at the school. Two students got into a scrap. One was stabbed at least three times and rushed to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. His 16 year old attacker, a grade 10 student, will be in court today to face charges including aggravated assault and breaking court orders. Fights have always been a part of school life. The difference these days is the violence involved. Back in my day, fisticuffs generally settled disputes. Today it seems kids are quick to resort to weapons like knives.

                     Does anyone else think CTV is going overboard with its pre-Olympics coverage, especially the torch relay? And should CTV staffers like Seamus O'Regan or  locals like Randy MacDonald and Dan Viau be torch-bearers? Doesn't their participation mean other Canadians who might have wanted to be a part of the relay won't get the chance?

                    And while on the subject of the local media, I think Amy Smith has certainly improved her on air presence hosting the CBC's new 5:30 Halifax news broadcast. Smith, who came to the CBC after a career in print, was hardly smooth at the start. She looks a lot more comfortable these days. Amy's still got work to do however on her cross-overs with weather guy Peter Coade and anchor Tom Murphy. Murphy doesn't help matters much with some of his inane comments during their chats. I'm also impressed with reporter Dawn McPhee as the Corp's lead reporter on the swine flu pandemic. The King's School of Journalism grad made the jump to television after a stint with CBC radio and is doing a bang-up job. Over at CTV, rookie reporter Jill Matthews has been doing good work as well with her coverage of events. She's a graduate of the radio-television program at the Nova Scotia Community College's Dartmouth waterfront campus.

                       Have a great day. Get involved. And if you're not outraged, you're not paying attention.

                          Rick Howe