VICTORIA: The BC Division of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (BC) today responded to the release of BC's Second Quarterly Report for 1999. "One of the key facts is that federal transfers to British Columbia will be $398 million higher in 1999-00 than they were three years ago," noted CTF-BC director Mark Milke. "In addition, revenues from BC's crown corporations are up by $462 million compared to three years ago. If the government cannot produce a balanced budget, it has no one but itself and its choices to blame."

"If BC's budget were not topped up by increased federal transfers and ever-increasing stealth taxation via crown corporations, BC's budget numbers would look even worse," said Milke, who noted that BC's total revenues will be $580 million higher than expected, while spending will be up by over $400 million over original Budget '99 projections.

"BC doesn't have a revenue problem. It has a spending problem," noted Milke. "While it is good news that both the Premier and the Finance Minister have recently recognized that fact in their public comments, these numbers confirm the necessity for cuts to government spending in British Columbia, not just talk."

Milke added that governments in other provinces have at least delivered substantial tax cuts (Ontario) or balanced their books (Alberta). "BC's government has done neither," noted Milke.