The carbon tax was really nothing more than a tax grab, designed as a phoney green initiative, and the government knew that from the start

The other day I was asked on Twitter what BC Conservatives would do about the Carbon Tax. 

Twitter allows for a limited number of characters to respond, far more that what follows, but basically what I said was … It’s bad for business, bad for people in the interior and north, and it adds to the cost of goods and services.  It has yet to show any benefit.  It is negative, unfair, and with a BC Conservative government it will be gone!

They responded by asking, “How would you make up revenue? It’s a huge amount.”

To which I said … “I thot it was 2B revenue neutral.  4 starters we won't have the PCT giving free$ 2 corps/ org

Again in case a translation is needed here is what that meant:

I thought it was to be revenue neutral?  For starters we won’t have the Pacific Carbon Trust giving free money to corporations and organizations.

I wanted to say more, and using Twitter wasn’t going to work, so the remainder of my reply was sent as a message via Facebook instead. This is what I had to say:

Rather than the BC government trying to convince me / us that the Carbon Tax is reducing our carbon footprint -- they should cancel it and let me keep MY money.  I can then spend it on something I want to purchase, which helps keep people employed and helps creates new jobs.  Because I am spending money I have earned, on real purchases of goods and services, government will get tax revenue via the HST (or soon to be GST / PST).

Now let’s remember the government said the Carbon Tax would be revenue neutral – we all know that is NOT the truth however.  At least for those living outside the greater Vancouver area, where the climate is milder and goods do not have to be trucked as far.

Those who live in the lower mainland use less heating fuel, and so pay less tax in carbon taxes ... they have better access to transit, while many areas of the interior have no public transit, and many people MUST travel for work, so again they are paying more of their personal income in carbon taxes  ... and there are greater distances to transport goods by truck.  The carbon taxes on fuel to bring those goods to the interior also gets passed on to people when they purchase those products.  And those of course would be things like food … clothing … shelter. 

The carbon tax was never was going to do the job government said it would … which was to reduce our carbon footprint.  On top of that, no other North American jurisdiction has it, which also increases manufacturing costs for businesses in BC … which in turn reduces their competitiveness.

I find it deeply disturbing that this government continues to find more and more ways to pry more and more of my money from me.  Let me keep more … and let me spend it in the real economy where it will actually do some good.

BC Finance Minister Kevin Falcon

The carbon tax was really nothing more than a tax grab, designed as a phoney green initiative, and the government knew that from the start.

As to how we can make up the lost revenue from this so-called revenue neutral tax?  I have an idea.

In his budget speech this Spring, Finance Minister Kevin Falcon said we would have another deficit – this time in the amount of $968 million … maybe instead of having another 1 BILLION dollar deficit for this year they can find a way to reduce their spending, and then they won’t have to worry about the loss of revenue from eliminating the so-called 'revenue neutral' Carbon Tax.

Well those are my thoughts.  Do you have an opinion on the Carbon Tax … on how government can make up revenue if the Carbon Tax is axed?  I’m also wondering if you think this tax has actually done anything to reduced carbon emissions … is there something we should look at doing instead? 

I’m interested to hear what you think.

Meantime, I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative.


FOOTNOTE ... from BC Conservative Party policy:
Scrap the Carbon Tax --- the carbon tax is a tax on everything. Every time you drive you pay the carbon tax, every time you buy a product you are paying the carbon tax as part of the price. The Liberals and the NDP both support the carbon tax – including the next increase at gas pump in July 2012. The carbon tax also robs much-needed financial resources from health and education by transferring funding to the Pacific Carbon Trust.