Page A2 — - Tertace Standard, Wednesday, April 25, 1900

By HUBERT BEYER : —— - - a
VICTORIA — The government home owners’ grant in the ~ Freedom to Move Special Ac.

calls it a budget; to me it looks

more like a bribe.
I’ve reported and com-

mented on more budgets than |

I care to remember, but none
of them reeked of an election

as strongly as the one finance
minister Mel Couvelier handed |

down last Thursday.

For the less cynically inclin- ;

ed, I should like to call it a

good budget. Aside from what
the government refers to as en-

vironmental disposal levies,
there are no tax increases in
the budget, but there are a lot
of goodies the government —
wants us to remember come
election time.

But don’t allow yourself to
be carried away by feelings of
gratitude, Remember that
everything the government
gives you, it took from you in
the first place. Considering,
however, that some govermn-

ments only take and don't give

back, may feel mildly satisfied
with Couvelier’s efforts.

To start with, the budget is
the second in a row to balance
expenditure and revenue

figures. both are $15.26 billion

an increase of 9.6 per cent
over last year’s spending.
Not surprisingly, the en-

vironment features prominent- |

ly in the budget. The most in-
teresting new measure is the
creation of an environment
renewal fund to help pay for
disposal and recycling pro-
grams,

The fund will get an initial
$50 million from the lottery
fund and another $21 million
to be raised through a special

$3 disposal levy on vehicle tires

and a $5 levy on lead-acid bat-
teries. Both levies will go into
effect July 1.
There is also some pretty

. good smoke-and-mirror stuff.
The author tells us, for in-
stance, the the budget contains
a $222 million provision for
reforestation. The money is to
come out of a newly establish-
ed Sustainable Environment

- Unfortunately, there’s no
new money in that fund, not
one red cent, just a transfer
from the previous silviculture
fund. By the way, the new
fund will be administered by
cabinet, which makes it a
wonderful public relations and
election tool.

Also on the environmental
front, the. government has -
decided that disposable diapers. -
will no longer be exempt from
the sales tax, because they

“contribute to waste manage-
nient problems,”

Couvelier didn’t forget home —

owners in his budget. After all,
they comprise a healthy chunk
of the electorate and their vote
is crucial in the next election,

More than half a million home
owners will get a supplemental

In brief.

© General revenue expected of
$15.26 billion.

© General expenditures expected
of $15.26 billion.

* Transfer of $684 million in a
bookeeping measure from the
Budget Stabilization Fund ‘to
general revenue (o offect expen-
diture plans. ~

© Expansion of the renter’s iax
credit for Families with low in-
come.

¢.A supplemental home owners
grant equal to 25 per cent of
school property taxes in excess
af the basic grant.

* A tax of $3-per new tire sold
after July 1 to finance tre
disposal plans.

* Infant disposable diapers are
now taxable. Revenue to be us-
ed-for: solid waste disposal,

* A change in the way highways
and other transportation Pro-
jects are financed so that money

budgeted but mot spent in one |

construction aren't lost but can
be transferred over to the next
construction season,

coming fiscal year to offset in-
creases in school property
taxes.

‘I'm not so impressed by the
property purchase tax relief
program which is to be ex-

count (what a name), worth:
$3.5 billion over five years, is:
to Finance rail, ferry and urban,

’ transit projects as well as-

highway construction. :
All three funds purport to |

‘Multi-year budgeting by way of special funds is to
even out the economic fluctuations that tend to’

throw, aut annual budgets.

panded to benefit: an addi-
tional 5,000 house purchasers.
If Couveller hadn't introduced
the damned tax in the first
place, he wouldn’t have'to:
dream up relief measures,

It appears that the govern-
ment has discovered long-range
planning. Multi-year budgeting
by way of special funds is to
even out the economic fluctua:
tions that tend to throw out
annual budgets.

One of the long-term funds -

is the Sustainable Environment .

Fund I mentioned earlier. The
other two are the Science and
Technology Fund and the © —
Freedom to Move Special Ac-.
count

The Science and Technology
Fund is a consolidation of pro-
grams from a number of
ministries. It is to fund all
research and development dur-
ing the next five years, The

‘+ total of 34.8 billion or $4,000 -.

inject new monies into the
various endeavors, but it’s .
pretty tricky to verify just how °
much of the funding is new. —
The trouble is that the funds
replace all sorts of existing
,Programs, money is being
shuffled back and forth, and
while Couvelier has an army of
experts at obfuscation, I still
have trouble telling a savings
bond from penny stack.

 Here’s a figure that may jolt
you. In the coming fiscal year, -
we will spend $13 million a

day on health care. -That’s a

per household. When I see
figures like that I always
remember that the NDP’s first.
budget was also the first one .
to break the $3 billion barrier.

Despite the three goofy
funds, which should be called
B.S. Two, Three and Four, the

‘ oP eT]
le ,
ot 1 pl a n

ee

Hubert Beyer.

budget looks good and witt not:
be easy to shoot down. Its
shortcomings are so con-

voluted that the critics will lose |
their audience long before they
can make their paints.

The budget-has election writ- §
ten all over it; And’ just in’ case: :
the goodies:aren’t enough,

umblane thet a BritighiCol?*

umbians that afttiough ‘th:
economy; fewigerar tage
year, the oan signs thal pro-

Sperity is fragile and requires”
‘continued prudent fiscal
management. * Does that
sound like an election appeal?
You bet it does.

‘bate & Time
+ Weight: 7 Ibs. 6 oz.
Parents: Troy Turner & Audra Raltz

“tata N Marna: ‘bamon Keegan Glostrecht
~Walght: 6 bs..10 02.:-.. Sexi Male.
Parents: Ben & Jod! Gissbrecht..

Baby's Name: Justin, Anitlony Raymond Goorye

ae ite Tne at Bite April 18, 1990 at 6:32 am

“Welght: 5 Ibs. 13 oz. Sex: Male
‘Parents: Raymond and Angela George —

“T Baby's Name: Britiany Lyne Turner
nf Birth: April 17, 1990 at 4:30 ‘pm
Sex: Female ‘

Baby's Name: Ryan Ros: Ross.

~ ‘tate aa April 9, 1990 at 4:15 pm

. Welght: 7 ibs. 1%2 02, :
Parenta: Ross & Karan Holtom

Sex: Mala

ough ‘the

trongly (gat

Hubert Beyer is based in Vice
toria. He writes a column on
Brovincial affairs each week for
The Terrace Standard.

7CAL GROWN FRESH

STRAWBERRIES

No. 1 Grade. 10 Ib. Falt. While Supplies

Last. Sorry No Rainchecks.

THURSDAY

THESE PRICES IN EFFECT
FRIDAY

l[reias 206700

PRE-INVENTORY SALE!

wee 5 0 of ‘of regutarty priced ot
up to 0 selected liems. = --

April 25 to 30, 1990

GINGERBREAD PLAYHOUSE.
Skeona Mall

635-5236

SATURDAY

ee

~ APRIL: 27

APRIL 28

B.C. WHITE

|SUGAR

10 kg.

Sheep tey the

Date & Tine of Bit: March 17, 1900 2t 7:14 pm, of

Grade A or Utility. 3 per Bag, Limit in Effect, @

McGAVINS °

BUNS

L Hot Dog or Hamburger buns. 126. -

S Reforestation monies have §

been : taken away from’. the -

forests ministry and placed in a
separate account. No indication
of how when a new reforesta-
tion agreement’ ‘with the federal
government. “might be
negotiated. .

° The’ expected revenue from
fites* from environmental pro-
secutloms is. $500,000,

«: The planned federal Goods
‘and Services’ Tax won't be in-
~ Muded i itt the price of @ product
or a vervide when the provincial -
sales tax is calculated.

| CUCUMBERS |

ES ee hee re me oe cee eee me ere Cie

8 Roll. Asst. Colors. Over limit 3.28,

LONG ENGLISH ©

p GT ow ree rm

EB. Limit1

| MAINSTAY

{D0 Food

*
L With this cou

7 FIRST CHOICE

| 70 9. 6 Veriaties

| VALUE PRICED

ae

White or Brown. 570 a

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