RE:RE:RE:RE:Alberta, Diversification, HWO and PNG operationsYou know Matthew, my taxes have gone up every year for 50 years and there have been numerous other taxes and fees that have crept in. Now think about it, after all those years, I still owe my portion of the provincial debt and I have to ask my kids and grandkids to pay it for me. Not only their share but mine too as it is growing daily and I wont be around long enoiugh to ever pay it off.
The PC's promised me they would borrow another 5 billion on my behalf this year. Yes, your right there are 4 million men, women and children in Alberta to share the cost with me. My share of the new debt is only $1,250 for this year. You can add that to the $5,000 I already owe as part of the provincial debt. This is another part of the PC "Alberta Advantge". Lower taxes. We just borrow the money for you and you can pay it off later. No worries. Don't raise corporate taxes or energy royalties as the industry may go elseware.
So I guess the proper threat for me here would be to say if you don't treat me right, I'm not paying and I'll leave the province to avoid paying my share. Now, where would we be if 4 million Albertans thought like that?
I think everybody including industry should pay their share to balance the provincial budget and not put future generations in debt. So please don't say this is a bad year to do that, because we could have done it over the last many years when oil was at all time highs and that is when we accumulated most of the current debt.
Lets think about quantifying the effect on taxpayers. We can't leave. DF