Some early thoughts on the 2013-14 final B.C. government financials, as released today by Finance Minister Mike de Jong. Apologies for having these in tweet form, but two birds, one stone:
- BC Government nets $353m surplus, despite half-billion dollar drop in revenues. Good work on fiscal restraint side. #bcpoli
- B.C. personal income tax revenue dropped (1.6%), but corporate income tax jumped 10%. #bcpoli
- Natural resources tax revenue up $230 million, year over year. #bcpoli
- BC Gov spent $17.9B on health, $11.8B on education (inc post sec). Both at record levels & up 2.1% (hc) and 2.6% (ed) f/ last yr. #bcpoli
- BC debt still way up: $60.8 billion as of March 31, 2014. Up $4B in 1 yr. Can't keep adding a billion of debt every quarter. #bcpoli
- Will be interesting to crunch that personal income tax drop & see if it's related to tax increase on top earners. #bcpoli
- It appears 2020-2024 is the rat in the snake when it comes to BC debt being due: $13 billion up in that four years. #bcpoli
- Elections BC budget was up from $8.2m to $38.7m last year, due to the provincial election in May. #bcpoli
- Highest paid deputy minister was John Dyble at $308,115. Top cabinet travel spender was Bill Bennett with nearly $66,000. #bcpoli
- Rick Davis, of Teen-Wedding-DJ-going-to-Finland-to-write-a-report-on-education fame, made $151,819. #bcpoli #bced
- Peter Cameron Consulting Inc. was paid $159,937 last year. Thought I'd raise the temperature on #bced with that one. #bcpoli
- Check what taxpayers are paying various unelected BC Liberal/NDP caucus officials (EDs, DComms, etc.) here: http://ow.ly/zbZDj #bcpoli
- Anyone know why the Legislative Assembly paid Think Communications Inc. $597,184 last year? #bcpoli
- BC Government spent $25.4 billion on salaries last year. #bcpoli http://ow.ly/zc07l
- $41 million spent on government purchasing cards last year, including $395,220.26 by the Premier's Office. #bcpoli http://ow.ly/zc0Zb
- AudGen has a $10,324.31 Air Canada charge & $34K charge to Rogers. #bcpoli
- Elections BC spent nearly $1,000 at Acme Supplies. No doubt trying to capture that stupid Roadrunner. #bcpoli
- Info Commish spent $8,600 over 13 transactions at a Victoria art gallery & $1,5000 at the Teahouse. #bcpoli
- Cop Complaint Commish spent $23,100 on 8 Helijet transactions. #bcpoli
- Kids & Youth rep charged $2,131 for shredding. And $30K with Rogers. And $2.62 on TREO/Port Mann crossing. #bcpoli
- All of these offices charged way more than that, I'm just pulling some quick, interesting ones - or things I'll need to check later. #bcpoli
- Preem's office spent $22.04 at 7-11 & full page w/Air Canada. $2K at West Kelowna's Cove Lakeside Resort. $60K w/ Rogers. #bcpoli
- Preem's office spent $390 on limo. $105 on Kelowna car rental. A page worth of Westjet. Not much in Kelowna, surprisingly. #bcpoli
- Aboriginal Rel has 11 pages of Air Canada charges. $26K of Victoria-area cab rides. $222 @ my fave Prince George cafe-Sassafras. #bcpoli
- Feel free to send weird purchasing finds to me at [email protected]. We'll have some fun this summer digging into them. #bcpoli
- Adv Ed charged $210 for Dairy Queen. Now I crave a Peanut Buster Parfait. #bcpoli
- Ag loves their Best Westerns - Cowichan, Cranbrook, Fernie, Kelowna, Vernon. #ivebeeneverywhereman #bcpoli
- Ag spent $35K on DNA testing with a Mississauga company. $1,125 at Zazu Eclectic Cafe in Victoria. $500 at White Hat Drycleaners. #bcpoli
- MCFD loves their 7-11s - $16K worth. $900 at 4Cats Art Studio. 32 pages of Air Canada +20 pages of other airlines. #bcpoli
- That takes me to p. 206 of 796 (!) purchasing card charges. Taking break to head downtown for interviews. #bcpoli