Article content

VICTORIA — The B.C. New Democrats will surely propose to pay for some of their election promises by restoring a $250-million-a-year-tax on higher incomes that the B.C. Liberals phased out two years ago.

“It would surprise no one that we’re going to take a look at taking that tax break back,” said Carole James, the party’s current finance critic and former leader. “That’s a billion dollars over four years. That will pay for a lot of programs and services that need to be funded.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Vaughn Palmer: Expect NDP to revive higher taxes for B.C.'s top earners Back to video

“So will we take a look at the high income earners?” James asked rhetorically during an interview with me on Voice of B.C. on Shaw TV Thursday. “Yes, we will. I think that’s important.”

She was referring to a levy the Liberals announced on the eve of the last election, targeting folks with taxable incomes greater than $150,000 as part of a budget-balancing drive.

The change boosted the high-end rate to 16.8 per cent of taxable income, up from 14.7 per cent. The Liberals promised the higher bracket would be abolished in two years, a timetable spelled out in legislation tabled before the election and implemented afterward.