Why would we ever vote any party into a majority in the Federal government again? I did not pay much attention to the reporting of yesterday's announcement and reaction except to see a smiling opposition leaderette and champion day dreamer Steve Harper saying that it covered off much of what he was interested in...umm, like Kyoto...ummm so he won't...ummm bring down the government today...:
Finance Minister Ralph Goodale delivered a broad-ranging and balanced budget Wednesday, including almost $13 billion for the military, $5 billion for a national child-care program and another $5 billion for the country's cities. The budget also accounts for billions of dollars promised to the provinces and territories in two agreements signed in the fall: the $41.3-billion health care deal, and the $33.4-billion agreement on equalization payments. With all the money going to those two programs this year and next, the government is still predicting surpluses for those years, but it says those surpluses will be modest.Not to mention personal tax cuts that might put $400 to $800 bucks back in my pocket a year when they work though. Was there a downside to anyone other than the Ayn Rand objectivist teen set?
Comments
Outburst - February 24, 2005 9:22 am
Perhaps so that the government in power isn't feeling threatened to appease the opposition's budget desires just to stay in power?
Alan - February 24, 2005 9:43 am
...or maybe to ensure the government in power isn't feeling threatened to appease the opposition's budget desires just to stay in power to deflect the opposition's actual desire to get its hands on power to impose an agenda no one wants and they actually have yet to figure out anyway.
Alan - February 24, 2005 11:26 am
Apparently PEI hates the budget. I guess maybe when you are used to waste, waste, waste and debt, debt, debt and looney, looney, looney an actual balanced budget that sticks to the areas of actual senible government jusrisdiction must come as something as a shock.<p>Just note one fact in the news item that is the first link:<blockquote class="smalltext">The total national pot is $600 million. The total take on that is about $4.5 million on P.E.I to be spread out over 65 municipalities. It doesn't go a long way.</blockquote>65 municipalities for 135,000 people! You think they may be able to run public transit for such a tiny population if they did a little governmental amalgamation? It is interesting to note that none of those municipal level governments are counties. How about three counties and two cities for third-tier government as a starter? Sure that means no role and expenses and staff for 60 councils worth of councillors...but when you are now using the credit card for the operation of government to the tune of a thousand dollars a year for every man woman and child, you might want to think of it.
Sereenie - February 24, 2005 6:02 pm
What I'd like to know is, where did you take that (ultimately) $400 to $800 tax cut? What I heard was more along the lines of $16 a year...
Hum... $16... Now *that* definitely calls for a lot of thinking to decide what to splurge on!
Alan - February 24, 2005 6:37 pm
If your personal tax exemption goes from $8100 to $10000 and that shifts the marginal tax level, you are looking at not spending 25-40% (provincial+federal) return on that $1900 removed from your taxable income. I depends on how they rearrange tax brackets but it will not come out at 16 bucks. I think your EI payment reductions might be 16 bucks.
Sereenie - February 25, 2005 5:09 pm
Ah! That's probably it! I've never been good with numbers. That's why my accountant isn't about to lose this customer...
Besides, I just plain like your numbers better than mine!
Alan - February 25, 2005 5:14 pm
We all like to 0000.00 as long as there is another digit ahead of them.