I don't understand where people think the government gets money to spend on the stuff everybody wants???
Actually didn't
miss it always. Kinda figured you'd get back on that point. And since it is it's own whole
can of worms, it is likely worthy of a stand-alone response...
"
Everybody Wants". Hmmmm... Let's just have a little boo at that shall we...
The Winter Olympics, while they did instill a sense of National Pride, they were in fact a very serious blow to the financial picture in this Province. We all witnessed the cuts to such
Mother & Apple Pie services as Health, Education and more to put this not-so-little party for the Rich & Famous together. Those made headlines, many other related cuts (or stripping of budgets to finance "the party") were intentionally buried. With Gordo's direct oversight, no-one actually knows what the bottom line for this fiasco is, and if he has his way, no-one ever will realize the depth of the related debt. You can rest assured however that we (you, I and every other taxpaying citizen of BC)
WILL be paying for them for a considerably long period of time.
The
LIEberals would have you believe the latest budget "
builds on momentum from hosting the Olympics". Momentum?
Non-existent in forward momentum except in the fairy-tale fantasy world of the present Dictator. In fact, if there is any "momentum" at all, it is directly related to increasing the overall Provincial debt, increasing the interest rates on an ever-growing deficit, and driving the provincial economy even deeper into the abyss. Not something most would be in favor of continuing to "build on" methinks.
Several polls well indicated that were the Olympic fiasco to be put to a public vote prior to their occurrence, the majority of those in the Province located outside of the LML would have been in opposition. Appears that this is one example of "
everyone wants"? Not likely.
Are there more examples of what "
everyone wants"? Why certainly...
- Phasing-out the Corporation Capital Tax which generated $100 million-plus annually for Victoria over most of the last decade and was applied mainly to the country's big banks. The Banks are certainly Happy, but the tax-payer picks up the tab.
Everyone Wants?
- At the same time the above noted tax on the banks etc was being eliminated, Carole Taylor, Hansen's predecessor at the finance department introduced a new levy called the Financial Institutions Minimum Tax. This was designed to ensure that Canada's banks, insurance companies and trusts, all headquartered outside B.C. -- and very, very profitable -- nonetheless would continue to pay some monies (albeit much-reduced than formerly) directly into the provincial treasury.
Hansen and his government colleagues instead opted to
repeal the minimum financial institutions tax -- even before it takes effect! So, two years after deciding to forgo most of the $100 million-plus generated annually for the province by the corporation capital tax -- instead accepting a
one-time payment $48 million -- the Campbell Liberals now have resolved to let Canada's big banks keep the entire amount and pay nothing to Victoria. Again, the Banks are Happy. Is this another example of what the taxpayer on the hook for this shortfall "
wants"?
- The "
shell game" of deferring federal funding transfers related to the HST (see my last post above) results in an additional accumulation 75 million PLUS in interest charges that will be borne by the tax base. Somewhat effective ploy for the
LIEberals - as the deferred funding will now show up just in time to help "
balance" the budget prior to the next election, allowing Gordo to
LIE once again and claim that the "balance" is somehow due to he and his team's efforts. An overt attempt to sway their own political aspirations, at the direct cost to the taxpaying public. I'm sure the
LIEberal's very much like this idea. What about "
everyone" else?
At a time when spending "restraint" and a VERY scrutinizing eye should be focusing on PRIORITIZATION of that spending should be the overwhelming focus of the day,
Gordo and The Clowns continue to spend tax dollars as if there was an endless supply. The largest beneficiaries are of course Big Business and the personal friends of those in power. Amongst the "priorities" the gov "promised" to attend to, and which have subsequently fallen off the table as the stars got realigned in favor of the
LIEberals and their increasingly well-off cronies, are:
- Jobless rate has increased rather than decreased. Appears all the lip-service given to this issue was indeed little more than
LIES directed to ensure they got elected the last time around. This trend is noted in the current budget to continue well into 2013 and beyond.
- Child Poverty is the HIGHEST in Canada. Another set of
LIES. Beyond more lip-service, little if anything is being done by
Gordo et al to address this pressing situation.
- At the time when most rural Communities are struggling, there's no plan for rural economic development. In fact the resource ministries that are
supposed to oversee and responsibly develop opportunities in the sectors (sectors that drive the majority of rural communities btw) have had their budgets slashed to the tune of 320 million plus. Guess that's OK if you reside in the
Big Smoke and snuggle up closely with the
Fools On The Hill. As for the rest (most) of the province:
Everyone Wants?
- The Housing and Social Development ministry's budget showed a
decrease in spending on housing and employment programs, despite an increase in the amounts spent on disability and income assistance. The Crown agency B.C. Housing, however, has seen its budget go up to $900 million from $627 million last year, with a provincial contribution four times what it was a few years ago.
- Despite "
maintaining" funding for Health and Education, Professionals in both fields have been very critical of the new budget:
Rachel Tutte, co-chair of the B.C. Health Coalition: "
It looks like further cuts to our health care system."
Health Sciences Association of B.C. president Reid Johnson: "
It's a no-news budget and that's not good news for British Columbians in terms of health care"
Cindy Oliver president of the Federation of Post-secondary Educators of B.C.: "
Spending was flat. I was really disappointed"
Of course "topping" these portfolios up a little makes political sense, they are amongst the utmost importance to the public after all. Might have made even more sense had those same ministries not been stripped of funding previously to pay for a handful of worthless "pet projects".
And the list goes on...
Who can forget:
- Privitization of BC rail -
LIE- Privitization of BC Ferries -
LIEAnd of course on the environmental front:
- ROR projects EXEMPT from Environmental Impact Studies. Destruction of huge habitat components that cannot help but push the fisheries resources even further towards the edge, while at the same time handing control of our Provinces rivers over to Foreign interests
in perpetuity.
- Gravel extraction from proven fish spawning / rearing habitat.
- Promoting Fish Farms
Hell Bent for Leather and DAMN any potential consequences.
- Slashing MOE's budgets to the point they are barely even a presence.
And on and on and on
and...Methinks you'll get the picture. A little digging and you'll discover a WHOLE lot more...
Easy to criticize Campbell for this and that...remember when the MLA's voted themselves a hefty pay raise ? The NDP supported the pay increase til the public outcry forced them to abandon it.
Ah, but WHO brought it in? Gordo not only runs a sharp whip over his underlings' backs to keep them in line, but also tosses them an economic bone to help insure their continued alliance. Gotta look after your
Flock you see...
So, as pretty well anyone with eyes that are open can see, it isn't so much a case of "
Everyone Wants", but rather "
Everyone Left Wanting" under Gordo's reign.
Their complete lack of fiscal responsibility and the subsequent fall-out is
VERY much of their own making. In their minds it is a simple matter to address, figure out just how to increase taxes once again. As in "
Suck It Up" Joe Public, and cough for their indiscretionary spending.
Well, I say
ENOUGH! And I am by no means alone in this mindset. I am hoping there are enough of us that do have our eyes open and are fed up with blindly following along regardless of the related personal and overall costs to our Society and Environment. Time to STOP being
Sheeple Folks, and let them know their actions are by no means what "
Everyone Wants".
Cheers,
Nog
Author
Topic: Fight The HST! (Read 145269 times)