The territorial government is showing off more of its new budget before the legislature reconvenes later this month.

Traditionally, budget information being leaked before the speech is read in the legislature by the Finance minister causes an uproar and sometimes a police investigation.

But this Yukon Party government is gladly releasing the information before Yukoners get a chance to hear about in the legislature.

After the announcement two weeks ago of $69 million in new spending in the upcoming budget for roads and bridges, the minister of Community Services pulled the lid off another $16 million in spending in his budget for the new fiscal year.

Yesterday, Minister Glenn Hart unveiled some spending for new projects in the communities, such as government buildings.

The minister announced there will be $45 million in infrastructure spending for 2005-06. However, only $16 million of it was detailed in Monday's announcement that was specifically on rural spending.

The biggest-ticket item in Hart's announcement was $5.4 million to build a new school in Carmacks (see story below).

The opposition has decried the government's tactic of prematurely releasing its budget details.

When Hart announced the $69 million in funds two weeks ago, both the NDP and the Liberal party knocked the government for doing what they feel should be done in the legislature.

The opposition believes the government should be announcing its budget to the legislature and the officials elected by Yukoners.

But that has not been the Yukon Party's style over the past couple years.

In 2004, the government also announced multimillions in budget spending before heading into the legislature.

The opposition also decried the pre-announcements made by the government last year for the 2004-05 budget.

Two weeks ago, Hart explained the early announcements. He said the facts were released so the contracting community would have time to prepare to bid on projects.

The opposition countered that the government should have just brought in the budget in February, when it was traditionally tabled prior to this Yukon Party's regime.

Besides the Carmacks school, the other projects listed in Monday's announcement include:

ï $2.015 million to renovate the Teslin School and build a new gym;

ï $2 million to plan and design either a new or upgraded Carmacks sewage treatment plant;

ï $1.5 million to do design work on a new sewage facility in Dawson City;

ï $1.2 million to begin construction of a sewage lagoon just south of Burwash Landing;

ï $1.02 million to build an interpretive centre for Tombstone Territorial Park;

ï $1 million to renovate the second-floor mezzanine and install an ice plant at the Teslin arena;

ï $500,000 to renovate the old liquor store for the Klondike Institute of Arts and Culture in Dawson City;

ï $450,000 to continue construction on a community hall in Ross River;

ï $300,000 to help stabilize the bank of the Porcupine River in Old Crow;

ï $300,000 to plan the Carcross waterfront;

ï $250,000 to complete the road construction, including paving and installation of power and phone lines for 14 rural residential lots in Haines Junction;

ï $100,000 to design a disposal system for the new Carcross sewage treatment plant;

ï $100,000 to conduct environmental assessments, design and prepare for permitting; and

ï $100,000 to upgrade the walking bridge over the Pelly River at Ross River.