SURREY, B.C.: Freezing and reviewing the Medical Services Plan (MSP) tax will be the top recommendation of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) when BC Director Jordan Bateman presents S.O.S.: Save Our Surplus!, the CTF’s 2016-17 BC Budget recommendations, at a government committee meeting today.
In six years, MSP taxes have jumped 39 per cent to $150 per month for the average family; people earning $30,000 a year pay the same MSP tax as those making millions.
“Taxpayers need a break from unfair, never-ending MSP tax hikes,” said Bateman, noting the CTF also launched a petition today asking government to review the MSP. “The province needs to take a hard look at this tax, its impact on families and employers, its lack of fairness and whether the tax is accomplishing anything besides filling government coffers.”
Bateman presents the CTF’s recommendations to the government’s Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services at 11:45 a.m. today in the Tynehead Room at the Sheraton Guildford Hotel (15269 104 Ave., Surrey).
The CTF is also recommending the committee to reject some groups’ calls for a food tax: “Food and drink taxes don’t work – they just make things more expensive for people who can afford it the least,” said Bateman. “We’re taxed enough.”
Despite the BC government running an “operational surplus,” BC’s debt increased by $2 billion last year and has reached a record high of $64.8 billion. Government projects the debt to reach $69 billion by March 31, 2018.
“We’re asking the government not to spend more money and not to increase any taxes,” said Bateman. “Surplus dollars should be used to pay down debt and provide BC with relief from the $2.51 billion in interest charges we pay every year.”
Among other, new CTF recommendations for 2016-17:
In recent years, the BC Government has implemented several CTF pre-budget recommendations, including fully disclosing MLA expenses (2012-13), eliminating the Pacific Carbon Trust (2012-13, 2013-14, and 2014-15), slowing the increase in health care spending (2012-13), ordering a core review (2013-14), keeping the Balanced Budget and Ministerial Accountability Act (2013-14), and cutting the size of the PavCo board (2014-15).
The full CTF pre-budget document can be found HERE.
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