Tax the rich is main idea behind alternative budget
Posted Mar 23, 2010 03:59:28 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A fresh take on Nova Scotia’s financial situation by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.
The centre released its 11th alternate budget today, which challenges the assumption that we are in a financial crisis.
St. Mary’s University Professor Larry Haiven was part of the alternative budget working group, he says there’s no need to raise the sales tax and says the government’s threat of a deficit is unrealistic.
“The $1.4 billion dollar deficit that Graham Steele is talking about is what I call a ‘B.N.’, a big number,” Haiven said. “It is the highest number that they could come up with to scare the public.”
Retired economist Michael Bradfield says they would generate 523-million dollars by raising income taxes for the wealthiest 40-percent of Nova Scotians.
“Politicians like to tell us we all have to tighten our belts,” Bradfield said. “What we’re saying is no, low income people have never had their belts loose, they’ve always had tight belts. The tax should come off the people at the top.”
The alternative budget says there’s no need to cut services.
Investments included in the budget include eliminating tuition at Nova Scotia Community colleges, and creating crown corporations for provincial transportation, and public car insurance.
