Ontario could be plunged into a second provincial election in six months barring a budget deal by next Tuesday between the minority Liberal government and the NDP.

Government House Leader John Milloy said Monday the Liberals would call the budget vote for April 24 even though talks with the New Democrats have so far proved fruitless.

Fuelling election fever, the Progressive Conservatives, who are not negotiating with the government, have begun nominating candidates.

“You’re in a minority government so you never know,” said Tory Leader Tim Hudak, declining to say if he has a campaign team in place and dismissing charges his party wants Ontarians to return to the polls.

Despite still owing $6.2 million from the Oct. 6 election — almost as much as the combined debt of the Liberals and NDP — Hudak said all 37 of his party’s MPPs would be in the House to vote down the budget.

Milloy warned Ontarians would blame the Tories for sparking a $100 million election and credited the New Democrats for trying to work with the government to avoid one.

“Behind closed doors, we’re talking about the details,” he said, repeatedly refusing to discuss what concessions the Liberals are willing to make to secure NDP support.

“I’m not going to sit here and cherry-pick what we like and what we don’t,” he said.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath is pushing for a wealth surtax on incomes over $500,000 a year to pay for a cut on the 8 per cent provincial portion on the 13 per cent harmonized sales tax, preserve 4,000 daycare spaces and give a 1 per cent increase in benefits to needy disabled people.

“We want them to take our proposals seriously. They are,” said Horwath, emphasizing there’s lots of time before next Tuesday’s deadline.

“We’ll use up every minute that we can … to get to a place where we can see a budget that’s more balanced and more fair for Ontarians,” she said.

Finance Minister Dwight Duncan conceded that he would likely have to amend his March 27 spending plan, which forecast a $15.2 billion deficit this year, in order to secure passage.

“We are going to have to work with (them). We need at least two votes from the other side,” said Duncan, who also praised Horwath for being constructive.

The Liberals have 52 seats — excluding Speaker Dave Levac — in the 107-member Legislature to 37 for the Tories and 17 for the NDP.

Sources say Horwath’s tax-the-rich scheme, which tests well in polling, is being closely studied by the Grits, who are mindful of the huge popularity of U.S. President Barack Obama’s similar “Buffet Rule” for $1 million earners stateside.

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“It’s a no-brainer,” said one Liberal insider, noting the tax change would affect fewer than 30,000 people and could bring in between $440 million and $570 million annually.

Still, enjoying a surge in the polls, the New Democrats are under pressure to take a hard line from some labour unions angered by the Liberals’ plans for a public-sector wage freeze.

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