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COLUMNS: Budget Day around the corner

Now nearing the halfway mark milestone of his government, Horgan and his finance minister Carole James are about to bring down their second complete budget.
15516493_web1_DonnaBarnett

This week marks the return of the spring session of the Legislature, even though much of the province is stuck in a deep freeze of winter temperatures.

And while the political climate in Victoria is not expected to be much warmer, a great deal has transpired since the fall session ended last November.

In late December, voters handed the government a stiff rebuke of proportional representation in no uncertain terms.

For a government still clinging to a sense of renewal since assuming office just 19 months ago, that sentiment came to an abrupt end when over 61 percent of British Columbians said no to electoral reform for the third time since 2005.

Premier Horgan then dodged a bullet during the Nanaimo by-election, which could have resulted in a tie vote at the Legislature had a popular 34-year old new-comer, Tony Harris, taken the traditional NDP stronghold from a minority government living very much on the edge.

Now nearing the halfway mark milestone of his government, Horgan and his finance minister Carole James are about to bring down their second complete budget.

There have been no less than 19 new or increased tax hikes amounting to $5.5 billion worth of new spending that James claims is ‘making life more affordable’ for the average British Columbian.

The big question coming on February 19th Budget Day, is whether or not the government will continue to raise more taxes, or take the opportunity to fix the controversial and deeply flawed Speculation Tax, or the even more unpopular Employer Health Tax.

Nearly all of the taxes announced in last year’s budget come into effect in 2019, and now British Columbians are wondering how the second of four planned increases to the carbon tax is going to make life more affordable on April 1st?



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Donna Barnett is the Liberal MLA for the Cariboo-Chilcotin.