And the survey says...

Ontario Conservative Finance Critic Norm Miller releases results from his party?s online and mailed-out public survey, Have Your Say Ontario. He says majority of respondents are worried about deficits and the squeeze on their own pocketbooks, with hydro bills their biggest concern. (ANTONELLA ARTUSO/Toronto Sun)

People are most concerned about the state of their own pocketbooks heading into next week’s budget, an Ontario PC survey has found.

PC Finance Critic Norm Miller said hydro bills and smart meters were at the top of their list of pet peeves.

Have Your Say Ontario went out to 600,000 Ontarians, and 20,000 surveys came back to the PCs, Miller said.

“Nearly half our respondents identified issues involving job security and their family budget as the issue that matters most to them. Taxes came in at number one, above even health care,” Miller said Friday. “But when asked specifically about the family budget and the expense they worry about most, the clear stand out was hydro bills at 28%, coming in a full 10 points above second place auto insurance.”

Infrastructure Minister Bob Chiarelli dismissed the Tory survey as unscientific and inaccurate.

“It’s noteworthy that this survey was released on a Friday...isn’t that what the press call taking out the trash?” Chiarelli said, referring to the political habit of producing lame media items during slow news periods.

Ontarians are telling the Liberal government they like full-day kindergarten, and the Tories will take it away, he said.

Finance Minister Dwight Duncan will table a budget Tuesday that is not expected to contain any tax cuts or increases.

The minister will protect health and education spending, which makes up about 70% of program spending, but plans to tackle the large deficit as well.

The current deficit projection is $18.7 billion although Duncan has hinted that number will drop.

In a speech to business people this week, Duncan said all three political parties have contributed to the province’s debt.

NDP MPP Peter Kormos said his party won’t take ownership of the substantial debt incurred under the leadership of then NDP Premier Bob Rae.

“I would argue it’s owned by two political parties, Liberal David Peterson, Liberal Bob Rae, Conservative Mike Harris and Liberal Dalton McGuinty,” Kormos said. “I don’t know where he gets three parties.

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