The year’s first murder, political manoeuvrings in the Opposition ranks, a national debate about the Tucker’s Point SDO, a bus strike and an austerity budget were the big stories for the month of February.Premier Paula Cox postponed the delivery of her first Budget as Premier by a week, adding an element of suspense as the country wondered how exactly she would deliver on a Throne Speech promise to cut spending by $150 million.When the budget was finally delivered, the cuts ran deep and broad hitting grants to charities and QUANGOs and government programmes and even the Bermuda Police Service.Many were astonished to see the Hustle Truck budget cut to zero. The programme, one of the Governments’ success stories, was designed to help unemployed people find work.Capital projects were also cut by 60 percent. And in a bid to strengthen local business, payroll tax increases imposed in 2010 were rolled back.An unprecedented national debate erupted during the month which united anti-racism activists with environmentalists. The flashpoint was a proposed Special Development Order for the Tucker’s Point resort expansion plans.Legislative amendments had paved the way for SDOs to be debated in parliament, and the proposal was tabled during the first week of February kicking off a perfect storm of national introspection, debate and historical memory.Parliamentarians gave the go ahead for the SDO after a marathon debate at month’s end.Reports of “merger talks” between the United Bermuda Party and the Bermuda Democratic Alliance also surfaced during February.But the UBP’s leader Kim Swan remained silent on the matter.Transport Minister Terry Lister had to contend with a strike by bus operators after one driver was sacked for calling in sick but turning up to work a different job.The strike was called of after the worker was reinstated.Meanwhile, residents continued to feel the effects of the recession a hospitality job fair organised by Government attracted 836 people for just 155 jobs.Colford Ferguson was gunned down in broad daylight in the Mangrove Bay area of Somerset.