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Photo by Ian Smith / Test

New taxes, fees, revenue-generating ideas?

Finance Minister Joe Ceci may want to consider having a No PST sign stamped on his forehead. He has had to repeatedly say he won’t introduce a provincial sales tax, leaving Alberta the only province without one as others range from five to 10 per cent. But Ceci hasn’t ruled out other tax hikes or fees to boost provincial revenues, even though the NDP kiboshed Prentice’s proposed health premiums — a $396-million hit -and reversed some user fees — a $184-million hit. Ceci said there will be no “substantive surprises” for Albertans, but does that mean they won’t be asked to contribute more than they already have from their pocket books? Will Notley introduce more personal income tax brackets for those making less than $125,000, as she has for high earners. Such a move could bring in $500 million to $800 million this year? Will carbon taxes be introduced before the province’s climate change review is complete? Royalty rates are unlikely to be changed before that review is complete in December. So where will Alberta get more money?

Photo by John Lucas / Edmonton Journal

The Big Three

Teachers, nurses, doctors, social workers and front-line workers are viewed as essential. The Notley government says it will continue to support the core services of health, education and human services. Notley balked at Jim Prentice’s budget plans to cut approximately 2,000 public-sector jobs — many in Alberta Health Services — and led her government to approve interim funding to bring back scaled-back departmental spending. Her cabinet approved $624 million to last until the end of November: $45 million to hire teachers and meet the needs of 12,000 new students, $500 million for health workers and stable hospital funding, $39 million for human services, including $15 million to women’s shelters, and $40 million to post-secondary education. Expect more of the same, although departments are also expected to find cost savings, since spending increases will be held to two per cent or less.