Less splash, more spin

And Mamdani melee

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ABOVE THE FOLD

For all the shade Finance Minister PETER BETHLENFALVY lobbed at Ottawa for tabling a less transformational, more “tinkering” budget, his own Fall Economic Statement actually had plenty for us to sink our teeth into. After all, it is a mini-budget that’s meant to provide an update on Ontario’s fiscal outlook, and those tend to be relatively boring compared to the big spring budget.

But this FES in particular is stirring up plenty of chatter — not just for what’s in it, but what’s missing. Here’s what you need to know.

Deficit shrinks (barely): Ontario’s red ink is now pegged at a staggering $13.5 billion, down from the $14.6 billion forecast in the spring — but a major jump from the $1.1B last fiscal year. And, despite what the Financial Accountability Office’s crystal ball says, the Ford government insists it will still balance the books by 2027-28 — the same year net debt would hit half a trillion dollars.

Bethlenfalvy’s mantra: “Steady f…