|
Opposition Leader Gerry Reid says in light of the hundreds of millions of
extra dollars that government is reaping from oil revenues and increased
taxes from the price of gas, it is time that the Williams administration
re-invested some of this money back into the people of the province and
eliminated school fees. "Government is making much more money from
offshore royalties and gasoline taxes than was predicted in this year’s
budget," said Mr. Reid. "Minister Sullivan and the Premier have already
stated that they are not willing to sacrifice extra tax revenues they are
reaping from the HST and provincial gas tax charged to every litre of gas
and oil. In light of this, I am asking government to use a portion of these
unexpected oil and gas profits to eliminate school fees that the parents and
children of our province will face in the coming days as they return to
school.
"Children return to the classroom early next week, and the provincial
government still has every intention to charge parents hundreds of dollars
for school books and school fees. Many of these parents are scraping by on
minimum wage, a salary that is difficult in the best of times, but is even
worst this year as the price of oil, gas and electricity have increased.
Now, government is expecting these same people to find hundreds of dollars
to send their children back to school. This government is willing to take
extra money from the pockets of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians in tax
revenues, yet seems unwilling to re-invest this money to eliminate a system
of school fees that is unfair to children and parents.
"It is time for this government to develop a social conscience. They
continuously make up excuses as to why they are not willing to spend these
unexpected oil and tax dollars, but are willing to watch many people in this
province struggle to make ends meet. If they truly want to help the people
of the province, a first step would be eliminate fees and taxes that make a
necessity such as education become prohibitive and embarrassing for some of
the poorest people of our province.
"This government should be ashamed that they are willing to collect these
extra fees on the backs of ordinary Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. It is
fine to balance the books, but the needs of the people of the province
cannot be ignored. With hundreds of millions in extra unexpected revenues,
now would be the ideal time to make an investment in our education system
that will help thousands of people."
|