Finance Minister Carole Taylor tables budget speech
Courtesy Government of BC
Tuesday, February 19 - 02:42:38 PM
Jim Goddard/Richard Dettman
VICTORIA (NEWS1130) - The Liberal government's latest budget has introduced escalating 'carbon' taxes on all fossil fuels, but encourages people in British Columbian to 'go green' in order to save money and offset the taxes. The government is suggesting everything from walking more, to weather-stripping drafty windows and doors.
Beginning July 1st, British Columbia will begin phasing in a carbon tax on gasoline, diesel, natural gas, coal, propane and home heating fuel. The rate starts at $10 per tonne of carbon-equivalent emissions and will rise by $5 per year for the next four years. As of July 1, there will be a 2.4 cent increase per litre in gasoline. By 2012, it will be 7.24 cents per litre. For diesel and home heating oil, it works out to 2.2 cents per litre, rising to 8.27 cents by 2012.
British Columbians refusing to change the way they live will find it costs them more and more over the next three years to heat their homes and drive their cars once the province fully implements its new carbon tax. The tax will escalate with each year and will eventually rake in $1.85 billion, but Finance Minister Carole Taylor maintains it will be 'revenue neutral' and the government won't use any of it to pay for general programs.
Taylor also says that in the first year, the extra money people pay will be off-set by personal and corporate income tax cuts and a $100 rebate to every adult and child in the province. The budget follows the government's throne speech last week which urged British Columbians to take personal responsibility for reducing climate change.
Taylor says a family of four with a household income of $70,000 can save approximately $2,000 a year compared to 2001. Taylor says by 2009, people in BC making up to $111,000 a year will pay the lowest personal income tax in the country.
i myself dun like her either... but i find it hilarious whenever she makes an appearance on tax... she would show off her new shoes... i still remember the day few years back when she introduced her new pair of $600 Gucci shoes... and now she introduced her $279 shoes.....
發表於 2008-2-19 15:08
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Carole Taylor
Carole Taylor
