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Fee relief measure a taxation charade
says Opposition
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George Sweeney, MHA for the District of Carbonear-Harbour Grace and Opposition Critic for Government Services, says that government=s fee reductions and eliminations by $5 million is anything but positive, given that it robbed taxpayers by $26 million in fee hikes with its first budget. The Liberal MHA points out that in 2004, government implemented an unprecedented tax haul to lift $26 million annually in new and increased fees from taxpayers. AGovernment is now attempting to manipulate people into believing that they are getting a tax break,@ says Sweeney. AIn fact, taxpayers have pumped $26 million annually into government coffers since 2004 through these fee increases. Now they are expected to applaud the government for getting back a mere $3.4 million this year, together with 1.5 million last year. This sort of taxation charade is truly insulting to the people of this province. ANothing less than a return to the pre-2003 fee levels would have been considered acceptable and beneficial. The bottom line is that taxpayers are still paying more for government services= fees under Danny Williams government than they were under the previous Liberal administrations. To promote this as a positive budgetary measure is a farce and a slap in the face to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. AWith the large revenue surplus that is projected in today=s budget, government could at least eliminated or significantly reduced the more costly fees including motor vehicle registration, ambulance fees and even relief from gasoline prices and a break on insurance taxes. These combined fees for any individual or family can considerably cut into after-tax incomes. AWhile I am certain most people are appreciative of the personal income tax reductions also introduced in this year=s budget, which take effect July 2007, government=s tax grab through fee increases these past years certainly has necessitated such a tax break for the people of this province. It is time that working families and those in need got some share of an economy that is primarily being boosted by projects generated by previous Liberal governments.@
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