June 22, 1998
TAX BURDEN EASEDCUT AMOUNTS TO $100 FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR EARNING $55,000
But anti-tax crusaders say people will be hard-pressed to notice any difference because the 1.5% reduction to the province's personal income tax rate amounts to a pittance. "We welcomed that reduction when the budget came down in February," said Mark Milke, provincial director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. "But it's only one very minor step in the right direction." On its own, the tax break amounts to annual savings of about $100 for a family of four earning $55,000. The $123-million tax break cut the rate to 44% of federal tax, down from 45.5%. The reduction is for all of 1998, but the extra cash won't show up until July 1 -- the savings on each cheque will be doubled to cover the entire year. At the time, it established Alberta title since claimed by Ontario in its spring budget. Provincial Treasurer Stockwell Day said in May he wants to reclaim the title for Alberta and charged a review committee formed after the budget with consulting Albertans on tax cuts. But that's hardly reason to start heralding the provincial government as tax fighters, considering it agreed to federally-mandated Canada Pension Plan hikes that all but cancel out any savings from the province's tax break, Milke said. And he scoffed at the idea of public consultations for taxes. "It's just ridiculous for politicians like Mr. Day to pretend to need to ask our permission to lower taxes," he said. "Just get with the program and do it." Despite his skepticism about the government's sincerity, Milke said the CTF will submit its own recommendations to the tax review committee, which is supposed to make a report in September. Next Story: PROSTITUTE PATROLS FLOUNDER Previous Story: CAPSIZED KAYAKER FINDS LAND
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