Paul Lane poised to vote against Liberal budget

Liberal MHA Paul Lane appears set on a collision course with his own government, after breaking from Liberal ranks on Wednesday afternoon.

Lane, a former PC who crossed the floor to become a Liberal only two years ago, said Wednesdayhe'll vote against hisowngovernment's budget unless significant changesare made to the financial plan.

I've chosen to stand with the people.- MHA Paul Lane

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"I've been really struggling with the budget since day oneto be honest," he said in an interview with CBC News late Wednesday evening.

"I had a fundamental decision to make: Do you vote the way your party would want you to vote? Or do you vote on behalf of the people that put you there? I've chosen to stand with the people."

Needs change

Lane says he's been flooded with feedback from constituents of Mount Pearl-Southlands since the budget was revealed on April 14.

He has a number of issues with the document, including the implementation of full-day Kindergarten in a tough fiscal year, but says the biggest problem was with the controversial Deficit Reduction Levy.

He wants that levy eliminated.He says the tax increases this year are too much, even if it was expected that some taxes would have to increase.

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Lane claims he was lobbying for changes to the budget from inside government, but in the last few days began to feel that no changes were going to be made.

"At that point in time, I had to do a lot of soul searching and decide which way I was going to go," he said.

"In the final analysis, I decided there was no way, in good conscience, I could support the levy. I don't believe that's what the people who voted for me would want me to do."

Breaking ranks

Earlier in the day, Lane voted against aLiberal move to neuter a non-bindingresolution, put forward by the NDP, calling for the Deficit Reduction Levy to be eliminated immediately.

The Liberals had proposed an amendment to change the wording of the resolution, having it read that the levy should be eliminated as soon as possible.

That's the wording the Liberal party has used since the budget was released, promising it will repeal the levy as earlyas 2018.

He voted against that amendment, the only Liberal MHA to do so.

Comes with Consequences

If Lane follows through on his threat to vote against the budget, he will almost certainly face repercussions from his party's leadership.

It won't be the first time.Lane left the PCs in 2014 under similar circumstances, when thatparty was taking a big hit in public opinion.

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In a Januaryannouncement in a Mount Pearl restaurant, he said he hadlost confidence in then-premierKathy Dunderdale, who resigned a short time later.

Lane says he doesn't want to be removed from the Liberal caucus, but it's not entirely his decision.

"As a person who was duly elected by the people, I feel that I should have the right to vote on their behalfand to represent their wishes," he said .

"I know that traditionally that's not the way that it always goes, and I guess [a removal]would be the premier's callto make, not mine."

Discontent

The MHA said he has made his unhappiness with the budget clear to the Liberal caucus, but did not give them notice he'd be breaking ranks with them on Wednesday.

I've been more than vocal about how I feel.- Paul Lane

Lane said he hasn't been speaking with other caucus members since he cast his vote on Wednesday, but he doesn't think they were surprised.

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"I've been more than vocal about how I feel," he said.

A spokesperson for the premier said DwightBall was in a meeting Wednesday night, and unable to comment.

Lane wouldn't speculate on whether other Liberal MHAs are also mulling over voting against the unpopularbudget.

"I believe I have done the right thing, but I guess that will be up to the people to judge ultimately."