Before the end of 2005, Albertans (except convicts) will receive a one time tax-free $400 cheque from the Alberta Government. Well almost tax free, I'm sure the Federal government will want a piece of the pie; Thanks Mr. Dithers. Anyways, due to record high oil and natural gas prices (thanks Dubya, I guess you're good for one thing) Alberta is racking in the royalties. Alberta's projected surplus will be somewhere around $8 billion dollars, if the prices continue to stay high.
This is a good thing, esspecially for lower income earners. $400 bucks goes a long way. Although I always like a tax cut. Cash in hand isn't a bad alternative. Plus, I'm pretty sure there's going to be a tax cut anyways. It's going to be a happy Christmas for many families in Alberta. If energy prices continue to stay high this could be a regular occurance for Albertans. Until the PC's are voted out. But that won't happen until Ralphie retires.
Aside from the $400, Alberta is going through a major construction phase presently. Alberta has roughly a $4 billion dollar infrastructure debt. So there's construction going on all around the province. Not that there wasn't construction before, it's just increased ten fold. The new Alberta Childrens Hospital is almost ready to open, it's very big and colourful. The future is even brighter than before for Alberta. However what goes up must come down. So we must enjoy this while we can. PARTY ON! YEE HAW!
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11 comments:
HEY! Free Money is always good!
Well...
I think this typifies one of the differences between East and West. Albertans love Refund cheques and Tax Breaks. It's like the rally cry of the Conservative Party. I thinks it's a control issue ...Westerners don't like to be told where their money's going. They like an Opt out option. Y'all got lots of work, good wages, and accessable home ownership, why the hell should some government step in and mess up a good thing?
Easterners ( particularly Maritimers) are like Homer Simpson. Our motto is ..."Can't someone else do it?"
John Ham's power rebate cheques almost cost him the last provincial election. We see that as a cop out, "don't buy us off...fix the fucking problem"
Me... I like;
1. Free Provincial Health Care
2. ALL my roads plowed in the Winter
3. One system of public education
4. not privatizing all the utilities.
If I gotta pay to get all that...fine, I'm happy. But in our case we privatized Nova Scotia Power, got our tax cut, and then got F'ed in the A by the Corporate rate increases.
The problem is thus...
Alberta has a great economy, people have money to spend on things like power bills, Enmax can charge what they want and folks pay up, enmax makes good profit.
N.S. economy...not so good, NSP jacks up rates because they have to compete against enmax in the privatized world of providing power. Nova Scotians no havey any money...Provincial Government unable or unwilling to place boundries on Private Power company.
Me No Likey.
Besides I'd probably blow my rebate on a New Accoustic/eletric Bass.
I am all for the free cash. Not enough free stuff out here as it is. I would like to see some tax cuts in the form of not paying for AB Health for next year would be Jim Dandy with me.
Oh and schmunk there are two systems of public education back home too.
Two public systems in NS?
explain...
Well by public systems I assumed you meant the CREB and the Catholic school board. Is this waht you meant? If so, these are also in plpace back home.
man i should really check my typing before i post
That's exactly what I meant. Catholic schools in NS are private.
There is no Catholic school board in NS that I ( or the Nova Scotia School Board Association) has heard of.
http://www.nssba.ednet.ns.ca/general/members.htm
It's not that we don't like to be told where our money is. We like to know how much of our money goes to certain things. Also, we don't trust governments to spend money efficiently. It's been proven time and time again, the more money a government has to play with. the more money seems to dissappear without a trace. We find that unacceptable. So our health premiums are just a tax that goes directly to health care. Where as a provincial sales tax comes in as one big pot of money. Which the government can decide how much and where it goes. So health care is not "free". Say you pay $40 a month for Alberta health premiums. Now we can get rid of these premiums and install a provincial sales tax. Let's say a 10% provincial sales tax is installed. Some are higher some are lower. How many people only spend $400 a month. I would think around $1000 is a more realistic price people pay monthly on whatever. So with the 10% sales tax, you're spending a hundred bucks just on tax. Not to mention GST. So $40 goes to health care and the government keeps the other $60. To be spent on other programs or our elected officials. They need dinners and private jets and all that jazz. Then on top of all that you got provincial income tax. So how much of that $60 dollars was actually spent for a good cause? and not spent on our politicians. So would you rather pay $40 bucks a month, which you know will go towards health care. Or another $100 (which can actually be alot higher) from a sales tax. Which gets tacked on everything non-essential. I think I'll take the $40.
I'm not sure of the exact figures, but Nova Scotia is about one fifth the size of Alberta. That means there's only one fifth the roads to plow.
I honestly think Nova Scotia can be a "have" province. Esspecially with the off shore oil potential. But it seems you guys are too busy squabbling for the scraps from Longshanks(Martin's) table. That you've missed an opportunity to stand up for yourselves. Look at the fishing industry, which a lot of eastern fisherman got fucked over. Now you're stuck in a pit of despair; few jobs, low wages, bad economy,etc. SO you're destined to vote NDP or Liberal because they'll tell you what you want to hear. Free-bees, 'Will give you free everything. Were just going to ask you to pay a modest percentage on everything you purchase. Trust us, we know what were doing. Not to worry, we'll hide the tax so you don't know how much you're getting fucked over. It's all good.' Where as a Conservative would probably say were cutting. Bad idea.
They may take our money but they'll never take our FREEDOM!
WWWRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHH, BBBBOIISSSSSSSSSSSSSYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH (SUPPOSE TO BE A PRIMAL YELL, THANKS WILLIAM WALLACE)
Besides, the best thing about rebates it that you can buy a new guitar, home renovations, or whatever. You name it, it's all good. trust me. ;)
Nobody is saying that all governments spend money effectivly. least of all the Federal Liberals. ( what the hell was all that singing and clapping about yesterday? Watching Mr. Dithers dance was like watching a train wreck!). However what I'm trying to express is that Tax dollars are accountable. That's why we have an auditor general, who has been doing a hell of a job lately. When politicians misuse funds they almost always get caught. The parties all pay attention to expense reports etc. and when one is outta hand we hear about it. Ole Dave Dingwall is in hot water today over the expense account at the Canadian Mint. Does it cost them? don't think for a minute that the liberals didn't suffer as a result of the Auditor generals report on the sponsorship scandals...12 years of majority rule became a minority government pretty quick after the scandal. Its up to the voters to yea or nay a government's actions, voter inaction leads to abuse which is clearly a problem in Canada.
Now to the tax cut issue...
I have no problem with tax cuts for lower to mid income households...BUT across the board tax cuts lead to financial problems...i.e. the USA right now.
Canada has the best credit in the world, and is the only G8 country running a surplus. Why? we tax more than we spend. Clawmonkey you argue often that Federal Debt is bad. Tax cuts whittle away at surplus, and when money is needed it's the federal programs that suffer clawbacks.
As for the Fishing industry...over fishing by Giant commercial trawlers and a lack of federal ability to regulate them is the cause of that. Also the biggest threat to NS fishermen right now is that Corporations are buying up all the fishing licenses and then hiring fishermen to fish under them at a wage.
Speaking of corporations...The tax cuts that were struck from the federal budget last year by the liberals, because of the NDP, are still on the table. the Conservatives are fighting hard to have this re-implemented, and what will it mean? The
federal corporate tax rate is to be cut, from 21% in
2005 to 19% by 2010, building on the large rate
reduction from 28% to 21% which took place over the
last five years, between 2000 and 2005.
The icing on the cake for business is that the
corporate surtax will be eliminated by 2008, on top of
the phase-out of the federal capital tax on corporations
which will be completed by 2008.
Corporate income tax revenues in 2005-06 – when
the tax rate will be 21% – are estimated to be $29.2
billion, or about $1.4 billion for each percentage point
of the corporate income tax rate.
This implies that the annual cut to federal revenues
from corporate income tax rate cuts in the 2005
Budget will be some $2.8 Billion when the new measures
are fully implemented. (This includes elimination
of the surtax.)
The full corporate tax rate cut of nine percentage
points implemented between 2000 and 2010, plus the
elimination of the surtax and capital tax, will reduce
2
annual (repeat, annual) federal government revenues
by $12.6 billion in 2010 and future years, assuming
corporate pre-tax profits remain at current levels. That
is about $400 for every Canadian.
So much for your rebate cheque.
Yes tax dollars are accountable. But to what degree? a slap on the wrist seems to the penalty for pocketing tax dollars. Which will lead to my next post. Speaking of surplus's, the Federal surplus was suppose to be somewhere around $8 billion dollars. Now the Fiberals say it will barely reach $2 billion. What happened? See how money suddenly disappears with governments. Esspecially the federal Liberals.
I wasn't referring to any business tax cuts, I want personal income tax reduced. For regular joe blow. I don't think businesses should get much of a tax break. 10% in 10 years is way too much.
Do I detect a hint of jealousy regarding $400.
Absolutly!
I want a new acoustic bass!
Stupid have-not province.
To anwser your question about the deliberate liberal underestimation of the budget. For several years the liberal underestimate the surplus at budget time. They make their program spending commitments based on the low number. Then they *find* the rest of the money and for the last several years the *found* money has gone directly to paying down the debt.
the centre for policy alternatives has done a shadow budget every year and have consistantly been more accurate than the government.
For an overview of how and why the Government does this check out...
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/index.cfm?act=news&do=Article&call=611&pA=AE5DAA5F&type=2
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