What a difference a year makes.
This time last year, the PC government dropped the writ for the April 2012 election. The PCs had just brought in a budget based on sky-high revenue projections and throughout that campaign, they promised everything but the moon and stars to Albertans. Well, enough folks believed the story, and the PCs were re-elected (though barely). And since that time, they have broken nearly every one of their election promises.
New spending on health and education? Gone. No more deficits? A sixth deficit in a row with no end in sight. No debt? An astounding $17 billion by the next time you can cast a ballot in 2016. And remember that promise not to raise taxes? Now in a junk heap with all the rest.
Thanks to the PCs Back-in-Debt Budget 2013, the education portion of property taxes for Airdrie residents will be increased by 22 per cent this year.
There had been a formula in place for more than a decade in Alberta that recognized the challenges faced by fast-growing communities like Airdrie, Chestermere and Fort McMurray. The growth of people moving to these communities in record numbers significantly increased the demand on municipalities for new services and programs; and the formula recognized those pressures appropriately.
But that was then and this is now, as Premier Redford likes to say.
Instead of eliminating billions in corporate welfare, shrinking the size of the massive government bureaucracy, or rolling back pay raises and perks for politicians and government executives, the government came up with a stealthy plan to get more of your money to cover their chronic over spending.
And it’s not just Airdrie taking a hit. Our neighbours in Chestermere face a 53 per cent hike and those living in Fort McMurray are facing an astronomical increase of 96 per cent. In fact, half of Alberta’s 349 municipalities will be negatively impacted by this change.
Sadly, it is hardly surprising anymore when the PCs break their word; however, the impact on Airdrie’s citizens and families this year will be worth hundreds of dollars each.
In my view, when a party makes a promise not to hike taxes and then blatantly breaks that promise less than a year later, they no longer deserve our trust ... if they had it to begin with that is.
