Editor:
Every time I see one of the Liberal government ads that attempt to tell us how well the Liberals have done for BC, I find myself asking the question “What are some other ways that a provincial government could find to spend $16.4 million of tax payer money?”
I am sure every taxpayer would have their own list, but I ask wouldn’t $16.4 million dollars buy some much needed hospital equipment for interior communities? How about help for struggling rural school districts? How about the massive backlog in silviculture in the BC forest lands? How many seedlings would 16.4 million dollars buy? How much could $16.4 million budge BC’s child poverty numbers by? The list could be very long.
The ads tell us that there are no tax increases. But this is untrue. BC, like Quebec, and these are the only two provinces, has a system of MSP premiums. In other words, a tax to fund a portion of health care costs. MSP went up four per cent on Jan. 1, 2013. Now it is to go up another four per cent. Is that a tax increase or not?
The next time you encounter your MLA you might want to ask that question. Have we had a tax increase or not? Did you vote to allow the government to spend $16.4 million on advertising that does not tell the truth?
John Dressler
Williams Lake