Budget smudget: Alberta needs to wake up and accept the lack of funds

Budget smudget — numbers mean nothing to a province that simply sucks at menial math. Here’s a lesson: one plus one equals two.
If a province loses a substantial amount of funds from one of its relied upon natural resources without coming up with another way to get loss of revenue funding then that equals zero. It’s not rocket science, but maybe it is for the powers that be.
Each day, it’s getting more apparent the provincial government is in denial. But, so are Albertans.
In a recent TV address, it was reported, Alberta Premier Jim Prentice noted no sales tax for the province and taxes will be adjusted but taxes will remain the lowest in Canada — as the Alberta provincial budget was released, prior to a no doubt spring election.
But, Prentice has mentioned a new health-care levy to help pay for the province’s budget shortfall. Apparently, the levy will be according to income. And, taxes will be added to gasoline and our addictions.
That’s right, keep on charging the poverty-stricken masses without digging into the coffers of big business. That’s the good old Conservative Way or so it seems.
Tax the rich, feed the poor, or better yet — steal from the rich (Robin Hood-esque) and give to the poor, who need it most.
That should be the new provincial Progressive Conservatives’ election platform. Starting with the pocket books of provincial government politicians — our employees.
Instead of complaints though, here are a few concepts the Conservatives might be able to use and then change may be possibly attainable:
1) Who cares if Alberta taxes remain the lowest in Canada if some Albertans have to keep paying for healthcare (even though more money won’t fix the problem healthcare-wise in Alberta), or teachers lose their jobs, or services and programs keep getting cut and Albertans still pay a load of money at the pump for our precious gasoline.
2) Raise taxes. Plain and simple. Or better yet, tax shift, all the big boys and girls are doing it elsewhere.
3) Eliminate waste — starting with all the excess in provincial politics.
4) Re-evaluate how Alberta pays its bills and makes the big bucks. Perhaps, legalize “the weed” and tax it.
5) Quit spending money on advertising the provincial government’s “good will.” How many signs do Albertans need to read that give the provincial government a pat on the back? Albertans know who foots the bill on infrastructure and projects — WE DO. Not the Conservative government. If anyone should get credit on signs, it’s each and every Albertan. Also, do local representatives really need to attend each and every funding announcement with cheque presentations (talk about a total waste of Alberta money). Again, Albertans aren’t stupid, they know taxes pay for everything including funding for programs and services.
The thing is — it doesn’t matter which provincial political party is in power — PCs, Wildrose, Liberals, NDP, Greens, or other. The grim reality is — the government needs to shape up or ship out.
Albertans need to hold their elected officials responsible for the mess Alberta is in. The media is but a messenger.
Alberta’s long-lived rose-coloured glasses syndrome has been blinding.

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