tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post114894421814189185..comments2024-03-28T04:04:03.006-07:00Comments on Paying attention: Equalization’s easy and it matters, I swearUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-1148951700927500022006-05-29T18:15:00.000-07:002006-05-29T18:15:00.000-07:00I completely agree that Klein was talking out of h...I completely agree that Klein was talking out of his hat when he suggested that Alberta would “opt out” of the transfer program. However the real issue in the fiscal imbalance remains the same; the average citizen pays far more in personal income tax to the Federal Government than they do to their respective Provincial Government. And yet it is their Provincial Government that must providing the serves most required in day to day lives. Health Care, Education, Welfare, Most major transportation needs, etc,etc all fall under Provincial jurisdiction.<BR/><BR/>There is only one level of taxpayer as most Premiers will correctly point out. Maybe it is time that the federal Government agreed to reduce Federal income tax rates provided that Provincial Governments agreed to increase their rates by corresponding amounts. This way every Province would gain more money at the Federal Governments expense, however they would do so based on the actual income of their own residents, thus providing an incentive to create strong Provincial economies while residents still end up paying a similar amount of tax in total<BR/><BR/>Something has to be done. Ottawa collects too much, and the Provinces not enough and taxpayers cannot afford to pay anymore. The current game of Ottawa cutting deals left right and center is not working either. Time for something newAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com