EDITOR:
The Liberal plea, “Please vote for the budget,” caused tears to stream down my face. They bragged about their astute handling of provincial finances, bringing in their second balanced budget with a surplus. They are definitely conniving as the three biggest departments of health, transportation and education submit underestimated budgets to make this happen. Each year, after the budget has passed the Liberals issue and pass special warrants worth millions of dollars to cover shortfalls. P.E.I.’s debt is expected to reach $2.26 billion in 2018/19. Is government paying down this debt in these good times? What is the cost of the interest Islanders are paying per year?
They are hiring 19 teachers, 32 educational assistants and two psychologists in hopes people would forget they were going to get rid of a number of schools in 2017, which caused unnecessary stress.
The income tax basic personal deduction increases by $500 dollars this year but P.E.I. still has the least generous income tax personal deduction in Canada. On top of that it didn’t help the pockets of taxpayers when they raised the HST by 1 per cent in 2016.
Liberals can lavishly spread around mega dollars given to them by the federal Liberals via all Canadian taxpayers, without acknowledging its true source.
Bracket creep, a major method used by a few provinces including P.E.I., sucks taxpayers dry. As wages increase, the costs of living and therefore goods and services increase. We get nowhere.
Islanders should eschew Liberal fairy tales.
Gary A. O. MacKay,
Birch Hill
