BC CONSERVATIVES REACT TO CAROL TAYLOR’S BUDGET SPEECH

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 20, 2007

Cranbrook: BC Conservative Leader Wilf Hanni says he has mixed feelings about the Liberal Budget. He commended the Liberals on their 10% tax cut for individuals as well as their measures to provide social housing and an increase in the rate of social assistance.

However, he said he was disappointed that the Government failed to make any effort to reduce the Provincial debt, now at $40 Billion. He pointed out that, when the NDP was in power, the Liberals said that the Provincial debt -- then pegged at approximately $30 billion -- was out of control. But now that the Liberals are responsible for a $40 billion debt that they call “manageable”.

Hanni said he would have liked to see some other measures in the budget, including;

1. a legislated debt retirement plan that would mandate annual debt reduction equivalent to 3% of provincial revenue, Alberta Conservatives introduced a legislated debt plan and now has no debt;
2. expand the purview of the Auditor General's office, to include municipal governments and regional districts;
3. introduce legislative changes to allow greater competition in the provision of auto insurance;
4. make health care more accessible to British Columbians by rescinding section 45 of The Medicare Protection Act, that prohibits the purchase of private medical insurance, so the taxpayers can indulge in a true debate on the sustainability, and patient choice, in delivering timely health care to all British Columbians
5. completely eliminate the "Property Transfer Tax" not just for first time home buyers, thereby providing long-term sustainability across the whole real-estate and housing sector, the corporate sector, and help provide assistance to Farmers who are either exiting or entering the Agriculture sector.
6. implement a zero deductible cost of production based BC Crop Insurance program for all "open market" agricultural commodity groups. Provide $ 403 Million to protect and support BC Farmers. Agriculture funding in BC is ranked "10 tenth lowest," last in Canada.
7. replace the current "Graduated Income Tax" with a "Single Rate of Personal Income Tax" by 2010.
8. match EcoTrust funding announced by Stephen Harper’s Federal Conservatives in combating greenhouse gas emissions, smog and air pollution as part of a 2007 BC Budget.
   

Hanni concluded, "Since Gordon Campbell will not implement these changes, the BC Conservatives will, as soon as we form the Government of British Columbia!”

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