The Spin:
Carole James claims she will maintain tax cuts for families and businesses, including those introduced in the last budget funded by the pollution tax on carbon emissions, which she also claims she will eliminate.
The Facts:
Carole James knows that the numbers don’t add up -- she can’t keep taxes low while also meeting all her other spending promises, and given her record she cannot be trusted to protect any tax cuts in this province.
The Proof:
The NDP record on tax hikes speaks for itself -- Carole James’ and the NDP have voted against every tax cut introduced since 2001, following a legacy of tax hikes during the 1990s.
Here’s the full story:
- The Carole James NDP has VOTED AGAINST every single tax reduction since 2001. That’s more than 100 tax reductions. Because of those tax reductions we now have the lowest taxes in the country for people earning up to $111,000 a year, and we will soon have the lowest corporate and small business rates anywhere in the G7. Carole James is against that.
- They also supported the Jack Layton NDP’s proposal to roll back federal tax cuts adding over $1 billion in new costs onto BC businesses and introduce a “death tax” in inheritances.
- This is not surprising given that Carole James does not believe that tax cuts are good for families: “It doesn’t work to make tax cuts.” Carole James, CFAX radio, Aug 6/03.
- This shouldn’t be surprising – the NDP’s record in government showed they had never met a tax hike they didn’t like.
- After saying they wouldn’t during the 1991 election, the Harcourt NDP raised taxes by $2 billion, giving BC the highest marginal income tax rates in North America during the 1990s and driving economic growth to last place in Canada by 1998.
- Today, the Carole James NDP claims they can keep the $1 billion a year in new tax cuts provided through the revenue-neutral carbon tax while still eliminating the carbon tax by spending the surplus – even though their other spending plans include an additional $2 billion a year in health spending. This isn't affordable and they know it.
The Bottom Line?
Simply put, the NDP’s plan isn’t credible or affordable, and their record speaks for itself. The Carole James NDP cannot be trusted to keep taxes low, they don’t believe in the value of tax cuts, and given the first opportunity they will raise your taxes just like they did in the 1990s.
NDP MLA Leonard Krog put the NDP’s true feelings best: “I haven’t seen anyone die of over-taxation in this province” (Hansard, Apr 1/93). For Carole James to deny this record and think people will fall for this again is dishonest.
