NDP’S FIRST BUDGET JUST NOT WHAT WAS NEEDED
Alberta Liberal Leader Dr. David Swann says the budget tabled today by the NDP fails to address the needs of the Alberta economy.
“Albertans were looking for a proactive budget that would meet the needs of Albertans and be a driver for stimulating and diversifying our economy,” says Swann. “Unfortunately, this budget falls short.”
Alberta Liberals had called for the elimination of small business taxes, incentives for the private sector to create new, green technologies and for all debt financing to come with a debt repayment plan. Today’s budget contains no repayment plan, tax and fee increases that will hurt the middle class, and pilfering of the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund.
“This is not the budget that Alberta needed,” says Swann. “We now have a massive and growing operational deficit with no action to address the root cause of the deficit. Our economy and our budget remain on the resource revenue roller coaster and we will continue to see deficits year after year.”