The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Wasting tax dollars Governments display an incredible ability to waste tax dollars according to watchdog groups like the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF). In early March, the CTF held its annual awards of waste Ð the Ted Wetherill Waste Awards in Ottawa. Named for Ted Wetherill, a fired federal bureaucrat famous for padding his expense accounts, "The Teddies", a formal affair gave a wide-ranging series of 'awards' to highlight government spending that makes no sense at all. One award that would be hard to criticize was the Manitoba Arts Council's $5,000 grant to a local artist to make necklaces out of toenails, mouse poo, dead bugs and even more disgusting things. The grant was criticized way back in October in the dying days of the Manitoba legislative session. Culture and Heritage Minister Eric Robinson defended the grant with the glib "One person's waste is another's treasure." And claimed the government cannot tell the Arts Council what to do Ð even if it is government money. Another Teddy winner was Canada's Governor General who got the achievement award for her three week $5.3 million trip to Russia, Finland and Iceland. Amazingly, Clarkson defended her visit and her $41 million budget as necessary for Canadians. The trip had 50 guests including Aboriginal leaders and former NDP Ontario Premier Bob Rae, and was supposed to cost $1 million. Clarkson, a friend of Chretien, is really unqualified to be Governor General, with no political achievement background whatsoever. Prime Minister Martin has said her expenses will be reviewed line by line. The Liberal government did not escape the CTF sword. Disgraced minister Gagliano received a gold toy pig for the $100 million sponsorship scandal which the CTF leader called "The silence of the hogs". He also called it "A story of lost innocence, betrayed by ranking government members and taxpayer's rage." Further horror stories emerge almost daily as now it appears that there was direction given from the Prime Minister's office regarding the awarding of contracts. Martin continues to defend his actions, or rather lack of action, and lately has declared war on patronage appointments. Opposition attacks continue and it will be interesting to see if Martin can convince the Canadian public that he is a "good guy" in this political mess. It may not be a waste of tax dollars, although some claim it is, but Manitoba soon may have the highest education taxes on property in the country. In the city of Winnipeg, six of seven school divisions now face higher school taxes than municipal, even though the Doer government has cut the Education Support Levy from $98 million to $71 million, and has promised to drop it further (he is vague about when). Manitobans can take some small comfort that education taxes are much higher on property in Saskatchewan, with the taxpayer forking out 62% of the costs. Saskatchewan also has no ESL. However, this could soon change if the NDP government accepts the recommendations of the Boughen Commission on Education Financing. The commission recommended that there be a shift of $200 million from property taxes to the Province by next April, thus changing the ratio to 60-40. Boughen recommended an increase in the sales tax to 7% (it happened in the latest budget) and eliminating some tax exemptions, and further urged the government to assume 70% of the funding by 2009. He also suggested limits be placed on school board tax increases from now to 2009. If the package is accepted the shift could see an average tax bill lower by 43%. The head of the Saskatchewan School Boards Association agrees with the shift as long as local board control is maintained, but this has not happened in provinces that have taken over the financing of education. They generally follow the old adage, "He who pays the piper calls the tune". In Manitoba, Tory leader Stuart Murray has been lambasting the government for its paltry education funding. Murray is repeating his plan for the elimination of school taxes on property. How could this be achieved? Would an increase in the provincial sales tax to, say, 10% be the solution with the extra 3% targeted to finance education? Many economists consider sales taxes a fairer way to tax rather than assessing property. If something like this happens, don't bet that the local school boards will retain much control.
