Panel data provided by Madison's Canadian Lumber Reporter.

Budget Does Little for Average Tax Payer

By Ben Meisner

-by Ben Meisner

For those who were expecting to see the provincial sales tax drop by a point, it didn’t happen today when Finance Minister Carole Taylor gave the budget speech. 

$6 billion goes to the public sector in the province. Taylor offered up $3,300 dollars for every public sector worker in addition to the regular wages they are seeking as a means of solving any threats of a spring time strike in the province. She also offered a further $300 million in bonuses if the provincial workers meet the goals set out by the province. 

Pointing out that this figure is higher than the entire budget of Prince Edward Island it was obvious the feeling in the Liberal head office is that its better to keep the peace with the public service than drop the sales tax by even a point. 

While the home owners grant goes to $570 dollars and $845 for seniors, vets and the disabled. $17 million will go to providing computers to native reserves around the province, plus additional funds to enable the native population to train mentors in the use of those computers.

 While the Finance Minister said that gas and oil lead the province in revenues and pointed to the increasing price of gas as the major windfall that has occurred, she added that there has been a 175,000 increase in our population and said the province has enjoyed a 3.3% growth and is expected to show a growth of 3.1% over the next several years. 

All in all, those who had expected to see the province drop the amount of money being pulled from your pockets year,  didn’t get their wish . 
The Liberal government obviously felt its better to retain the present tax structure of PST and hand the money out to those it deems are in need, of course politically in need. 

I'm Meisner, and that is one man's opinion.

Previous Story - Next Story



Return to Home