Editorial: Fiscal fantasies of Carole James
Wed, November 05 2008
He may govern in high-handed fashion
And many - Liberal supporters included - say they do not like the persona that is Gordon Campbell.
But whatever you say about our brook-no nonsense workaholic premier, you can rest assured about one thing – the alternative that is called Carole James is worst.
With the global economic crisis impacting on our province, the recently unveiled NDP fiscal plan for BC - if not laughable bafflegab is a lie spun to get votes.
It reaffirms to British Columbians that the NDP run by an assortment of labor union leaders and social activists do not have the expertise to manage a $30-billion provincial economy.
First let’s examine the NDP campaign called “Axe the Gas Tax.”
According to James; “The premier’s new gas tax is hurting families, it’s hurting small businesses, and it’s making a difficult economic situation even worse…And while you pay the tax, big polluters are let off the hook.”
So she promises to axe the tax but at the same time keep the corresponding tax breaks provided by the Liberals.
To axe the tax and keep the cuts the NDP will have to magically make $570 million dollars appear in the coffers.
It’s also hypocritical of James and the NDP who have consistently voted against Liberal tax breaks to suddenly say they support the tax cuts related to the gas tax on the eve of an election.
Under the Campbell gas tax, all industry and individuals in BC will be charged the same rate of emission. The gas tax returns all revenue to individuals and businesses as tax cuts and tax credits.
The NDP model which is based on the Danish carbon tax, on the other hand, will charge a much higher rate to households than industry.
Translated, the NDP will have less to dole out as tax cuts for the lowest income tax brackets. They will be the ones hurting working families.
To ensure James can keep her promise of maintaining the $570 million in tax breaks promised by the Liberals, the NDP will have no choice but to institute a much higher carbon tax or take the money from elsewhere.
Mark Jaccard, a professor at Simon Fraser University, who has studied climate policies for more than 20 years, wrote:
Carole James also seems to be living in La-La land when it comes to the fiscal future of the province.
Her plan is to spend $2.1-billion over three years to boost the provincial economy.
That plan is based on a projected $900-million surplus in each of the next two years.
What she does not take into account is that the project surplus is evaporating fast under the glare of the global money crisis.
The government which projected the surplus has already said that much of it will disappear because of the impact of the current crisis on housing starts, forestry and other sectors.
But the ever-optimistic James and the NDP want you to believe that there will be enough money for their dreams.
It will be interesting to see the NDP spin if they revise their spending plan when the new forecasts come out next month.
We all know what happened in the 1990s when the NDP ruled the roost and drove out tens of thousands of British Columbia with its inept management of BC finances.
We all also forget easily.
So let’s not cut off the nose to spite the face with a needlessly self-destructive overreaction to Gordon Campbell’s style of governance.
We can live with arrogance.
But we can’t afford incompetence.
The Asian Pacific Post
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