"An honest politician is one who, when he is bought, will stay bought." Simon Cameron (1799-1889)
The B.C. Liberal government, paid for by the taxpayer, given large salaries and pensions most taxpayers will never attain, continues to represent business. The same lineup; except for the substitution of Christy Clark for Gordon Campbell; that ambushed us with the HST persists in spending taxpayer money like drunken sailors. Although this is an insult to drunken sailors, as they at least spend their own money.
The government is spending $1.7 million "plus" to persuade us that the $2 billion a year we were legislated into gifting business is good for us. The government is giving business $250,000 of taxpayer's money to campaign on behalf of business continuing to collect $2 billion a year, of taxpayer's money.
Meanwhile they will spend $1.2 million, of taxpayer's money,on a euphemistically named "public engagement campaign" to convince us that the extra $600 a year that the average taxpayer is donating to business should be transporting us into paroxysms of joy.
The average sentient being would assume the 700,000 citizens who signed the anti-HST petitions were already "engaged", not no mention enraged. With a feeble attempt of erecting at least a facade of fairness the government will also give the anti-HST camp, aka the vast majority of taxpayers, $250,000 of our own money to represent ourselves.
The "plus" added to the $1.7 million refers to the ad/propaganda campaign mounted by government on behalf of business which finance minister Falcon says "isn't costed yet". Again, of course, paid for by the long suffering taxpayer.
Yet another boon to business, the carbon tax, which will have added 7.2 cents a litre to gas by 2012, is funding corporate tax reductions for businesses. 1,705 tax cuts to business by 2012/2013 according to the B.C. government website. Then there is the severance payout for ex-premier Campbell's minions, $1.6 million divided among the top four alone, but what's $2.4 million among friends? One can only wish that Campbell would have cost B.C. such a paltry sum.
The B.C. taxpayer is feeling like a skittish milk cow as the cold clammy hand of government reaches for the last available teat.
Richard Blake
Prince George
