The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) in their submission to the Nova Scotia government’s budget consultations says if the government can’t balance the budget then our politicians need to be held accountable. The CTF is suggesting that cabinet ministers and premier take a 20 per cent cut in pay if the budget is not balanced.
This is just one of five recommendations the organization made for the upcoming budget.
“Taxpayers have had enough of watching politicians blow their money dragging the province into debt, only then having to bail it back out by raising taxes,” said Kevin Lacey, Atlantic Director for the CTF. “It’s time to change the system and get our politicians to do what we sent them to the legislature to do: spend only what they get and keep our taxes as low as possible.”
A 20 per cent cut would result in $9,600 cut for each minister and approx $22,000 for the Premier. Similar policies exists in Manitoba and British Columbia.
The five recommendations contained in the CTF submission are:
1) 50/50 Tax Plan: devote 50 cents of every dollar of new revenue or spending reduction earned each year towards reducing taxes.
2) Hold a Referendum For All Future Tax Increases: introduce a taxpayer protection act that would force all governments to either hold a referendum or an election to approve income, sales or other personal taxes in Nova Scotia.
3) End Taxpayer Funded Corporate Hand Outs: eliminate Nova Scotia Business Inc and the Nova Scotia Jobs Fund, dedicate those resources towards lowering taxes.
4) Reduce The Size of Government: in the last five years the total number of FTEs in government has grown by 7 per cent, while the population has grown just 1.4 per cent. It’s time to roll back the number of public servants to 2008 levels.
5) Cut Cabinet Ministers Salary by 20 per cent: if the government can not spend only the money it takes then our politicians need to be held accountable.
“Our tax plan ensures that governments dedicate themselves to the biggest problem our economy faces, our high taxes,” continued Lacey.
The CTF also wants to see the budget balanced in 2013-14. It’s is proposing cutting corporate hand outs and reducing the overall number of government officials that taxpayers fund.
“Our plan will cut the size of government, hold politicians accountable for how they spend our money and lower our taxes,” concluded Lacey.
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