With polls showing province-wide support continuing to rise for the NDP, business leaders from Edmonton are pleading for voters to cast a ballot for the Tories on Tuesday.

"We are concerned ... that citizens aren't taking the time to take a real hard look at what the choices they have in front of them," said businessman and lawyer Doug Goss during a press conference Friday at the Melcor headquarters on Jasper Avenue in Edmonton.

Goss joined Tim Melton, chairman of Melcor Developments; tech company NPO Zero's CEO Ashif Mawji; CEO of Clark Builders Paul Verhesen; and CEO of Keller Construction John Cameron, to express concern that a change in leadership would spell disaster for a province already hurting from drops in oil prices.

"This is no time to be making a change to an unknown commodity. We don't need amateurs running this province through difficult times," said Melton.

Mawji said he is worried companies like his will be unable to attract young talent without being able to sell them on the low income taxes in the province. He also said the hit to large corporations from potential corporate tax hikes from the NDP will translate to reductions in corporate charitable donations.

"If there's no bottom line, then there's no money that goes to charities. We won't make donations to charities," Mawji said, using the Stollery Children's Hospital and the University of Alberta as examples of where the losses will be felt.

The frustration increased when the panel was asked why individuals making less than $50,000 a year are expected to shoulder the burden and large corporations are not.

"I have a mortgage on my house. I risk everything I have because I'm a small business and then I have somebody telling me that I should be paying more tax. Why? Why is it me? Why is it the corporation?" asked Keller Construction's John Cameron.

Mawji added many of the businesses that will be worst hit by corporate taxes are smaller, family businesses and the losses that trickle down from an unsupported oil and gas industry would be borne by employees of large companies. Verhesen agreed.

"We employ roughly 1,000 jobs in Alberta. We would not be employing 1,000 people, we would not have cranes in the air that you see today. Sure, it's about not only Clark Builders' prosperity but it's all of our shareholders," Verhesen said, adding those shareholders are company employees.

As for trust and accountability, all agreed that the PC party has seen better days but Jim Prentice gives them confidence that will change.

In response, NDP Leader Rachel Notley sent out a release calling herself a "friend and reliable partner" the province's job-creators.

"We care first and foremost about Alberta families. We care about their jobs and economic security, and their health care and their children's education," Notley said.

She also pointed out the donations of the five businessmen to the PCs in the past five years have topped $86,000 collectively.

All but one of them said they have received no government contracts. Verhesen admitted his company has built schools but has competed for contracts legitimately.

david.lazzarino@sunmedia.ca

@SUNDaveLazz