MLA CANDIDATE ISSUE #2 — Reducing the record deficit

“One thing would be cutting all the bloated administration in the present government,” said Rocky McAfee, Kamloops Centre candidate for OneBC. “A lot of bureaucracy and people working that could be sized down. Smaller government, for one. That is a big savings right there.”

Thaelo Proctor, running without a party behind him, wants to use parts of policy from across the political spectrum.

“The huge corporations, the ultra-wealthy are gaining wealth more than ever while working-class people are struggling, small businesses are struggling, most businesses are struggling,” said Proctor. “What we need to do is we need to return our tax system back to a place similar to the golden era of capitalism, when the ultra-wealthy and the huge mega-corporations are paying their fair share.”

“If we just increase taxes closer to what it was like in the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s, I don’t think we would have any issues getting back to a balanced budget, while not cutting any of the services that working class Canadians and British Columbians are relying on.”

The Conservatives are running on a platform of no new taxes, no PST on Canadian alcohol, and a tax cut they claim will put $1,000 back into pockets, all while promising to lower the deficit.

“There is not doubt we are in a massive economic debt and that lies solely at the feet of Premier (David) Eby who created this. He inherited a surplus and, in the space of two year,s is running record deficits, so it’s not going to be a quick fix,” said Peter Milobar, Kamloops Centre candidate. “What we need to do is supercharge our economy and we have plans around that. We need to invigorate to make sure we have reinvestment and expansion in our businesses, our job creators out there.”

“We also are mindful that, after nearly 40 increased and new taxes under the NDP’s watch, we also have to provide some tax relief for people. And probably the biggest one for working people will be the commitment to move the basic personal tax exemption up to $32,000, which means you pay no tax provincially on the first $32,000 of income you earn – whether that’s pension income or hard-working people in their working lives, that saves about $1,000 a year per person, so $2,000 for a working household.”

“It’s an affordability issue across the board for everybody. It’s the old saying, there is a lot of month left at the end of the money,” added Ward Stamer, candidate in Kamloops-North-Thompson. “We really need to be able to encourage people to be able to come to B.C. to invest in B.C., and right now that’s not happening.”

If returned to Victoria as government, Eby and the NDP are also promising to decrease the deficit, while supporting small businesses through the U.S. trade war.

“We understand there is a deficit,” began Mike Wisla, Kamloops Centre candidate. “It’s very important to New Democrats not to cut our important services, not to cut our health care, not to cut education. We’ve lived through that before. It was not good. But we do have a plan to add a new tax bracket for the people making over $1 million. The richest 4 per cent of people can chip in a little bit more.”

“We will keep going with our big new projects, like the LNG projects, with the big mining projects. We will grow the economy and bring in more for people.”

The BC Green Party wants to tax those whose wealth exceeds $50 million, saying it could raise $22.2 billion in year one, and more than $5 billion in every subsequent year.

“The Fair Share Tax Act, I touched on last time, it is a tax that effects the wealthiest 1 per cent in B.C., that revenue goes directly into universal child care, free transit and affordable housing,” said Annelise Beach, candidate in Kamloops Centre.

Wednesday is the final opportunity to vote in advance polls. General voting day is Saturday.

NDP candidate for Kamloops-North-Thompson Kory Clark was not available. OneBC Kamloops North-Thompson candidate Deborah Friesen did not wish to be interviewed.

by Michael Reeve

MLA CANDIDATE ISSUE #2 — Reducing the record deficit

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