Ontario residents flood provincial website with budget ideas

Tax marijuana to bankroll health care, eliminate public funding for Catholic schools, toll more highways, take guns away from police officers, stop salting the roads, and end bilingualism.
Those are among the scores of suggestions Ontarians have given Finance Minister Charles Sousa on a new government website designed to help him craft next month’s budget.
Saddled with a $12.5-billion deficit, Sousa is eager to hear ways to increase revenues and reduce spending so he launched the “Budget Talks” site last week.
“It’s the first time we’ve done it,” said the treasurer, who is also convening province-wide prebudget hearings.
“People have their ideas. I’m open to ideas. A good idea is a good idea — I don’t care where it comes from,” he said Wednesday.
In the run-up to last June’s election, the Liberals launched a similar online suggestion box — known as “Common Ground” — but few proposals made the platform.
Still, the government is seeking feedback on how to prioritize spending and operate more efficiently to “create a better province.”
So far, there have been 20,000 page views — and numerous submissions.
“SensibleMotorist” said scrapping front licence plates in Ontario is prudent.
“The front licence plate negatively affects the efficiency of the vehicle by interrupting the aerodynamics at the primary contact of the vehicle. It also reduces airflow to the air intake and radiator, causing the vehicle to run hotter, waste more fuel, and reduces power.”