Gary Coons

For immediate release

Today’s budget is built on BC Liberal deception and incompetence. It’s a “tax and cut” budget that will surely hit the lower and middle class especially those that live in the north and rural areas.  It highlights the deception and lies that British Columbians were told a short 3 months ago.

We now have the largest deficit ever brought into this legislature at $3.6 billion (if you add the approx $800 million from the Fed HST to the huge deficit announced..$2.8 billion…you get the massive total of $3.6 billion!!!). During the election period the Premier said …read my lips… only a $495 million deficit MAXIMUM. Now it is a massive seven times that fallacy! (“The deficit for 2009-10 will be $495 million maximum.” Gordon Campbell, Vancouver Sun, April 24, 2009)

Campbell’s financial plan is a huge, dramatic trickling down to the pocketbooks of average British Columbians who will pay and keep on paying!

After the May 12 election day (better described as ‘Deception Day’) the Premier now says that he’s breaking his fundamental election commitments to respond to an economic crisis that only he could not foresee. We all knew better except for the Premier and his Finance Minister.

British Columbians can expect to pay more for health care — around $6 per family per month next year – as the province raises the Medical Services Program rate. The MSP increase of six per cent each year for the next three years, along with a 7% HST and the carbon tax will have a huge impact on many families, working people and seniors.

The B.C. government claims to have protected key government services in the areas of health care, education and social assistance in its September budget update, but I believe that is far from the case. Health-care services would not be protected by the modest increase of about six per cent in the budget. It’s scandalous that the minister of finance says he is protecting health services with this budget. There is not a dime for health authorities and despite the fact that this government runs a deficit that is the largest in BC history; he has ordered to balance their budgets. This can only mean that we will see the health authorities will be drastically cutting services.

Education will not be protected as promised as it will basically be a cut in funding. Rising costs, including employers paying more for MSP premiums, will force school officials to make severe cuts to BC’s students. Students, parents and teachers will see a negative impact on classrooms. Class sizes are going to rise. Supports for all children, especially those with special needs, are going to be worse than we have ever seen.

School board block funding has been frozen in the face of rising costs and boards are reeling from cuts to their annual facilities grants and other areas of discretionary spending

In addition to the $130 million facility grant elimination, there has been a further $135 million cut to the budget for next year, compared to the budget in February (i.e. February 2009 budget said $5.215 billion for education, the updated budget says $5080 for 2010/11). If we add the impact of the HST (they are mitigating the impact on Municipalities, but not school boards), and the increased MSP premiums you have a nightmare for school boards all thanks to broken promises and lies from this government.  

At the post-secondary level, students all over the province will be hit!

There will be big reductions in student aid funding, and overall funding will remain flat over the next three years.  At time when we need to be investing in our students we get an arrogant and out touch Budget that will only damage our education system

This ‘tax and cut’ budget smells of broken promises and commitments. One of the most visibly cut areas is discretionary grants — payments to thousands of community groups and associations ranging from school parents associations to arts festivals and minor hockey associations. Those groups are already complaining about claw backs to their gaming grants, and the budget outlines a further $296 million in cuts found since February. In total, discretionary grants are set to drop 30 per cent, or a total of $354 million. When we need investment in communities to tide them over we get hit with devastating cuts that will result in job losses throughout the province.

The Premier preaches about green jobs and preventing climate change, but this budget increases tax breaks for the carbon-emitting oil and gas industry while cutting support for energy efficient home and transportation and the slaps a tax on bicycles, home renovations and energy efficient appliances that reduce household greenhouse gas emissions.”

Those concerned about our land, water and ecosystems are in for a shock! The budget slashes almost $25 million, 11.5 percent, from the Environment Ministry and projects further cuts over the next three years. The ministry’s Environmental Stewardship division– which includes protection of BC’s 2,000 species at risk, fish and wildlife habitat, and our air and water– was sliced by14.5%. Water Stewardship decimated by 77% and Environmental Protection by 42.88%. Parks and Protected Areas saw its funding drop by $2.3 million. This is outrageous and clearly paves the way for Campbell’s push for developing the tar sands and bringing in oil tankers.

Sample discrepancies: ($ 000)

The government says they’re facing the “greatest economic crisis of our generation”. But all they have to offer is a new, regressive tax and hikes to MSP premiums.

It makes families, consumers, and small businesses pay for the government’s deceptions with deep cuts to public services.

It sacrifices the long term investment we’ll need to emerge from the downturn stronger to cover up for the government’s mistakes.

It is a budget as flawed and dishonest as the government that wrote it.

Worse than doing nothing, the budget does huge damage. This isn’t just about the opposition or the government, about one party or another, about left versus right, this is about the legitimacy of government. It’s about the public’s faith in the institutions that govern us all. And that faith has been shaken and shattered by election deception and a budget that will be devastating to many British Columbians.

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