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NCMA delegates call for break on carbon tax |
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Written by MARK NIELSEN
Citizen staff
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Thursday, 08 May 2008 |
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CANADA DAYFORT NELSONMAYOR COLIN KINSLEYPREMIER GORDON CAMPBELLDON ZUROWSKIBRIAN SKAKUN
The resolutions were passed as a block with little debate and just a few hours after NDP leader Carol James echoed delegates' concerns and consistently referred to the measure as a "gas" tax.
She accused Premier Gordon Campbell of developing the tax in secret.
"For one year the premier went off and put together his gas tax and announced it without discussion and without consultation," she said and added there is growing resentment over the measure.
"In smaller communities, I hear from people who ask how on earth they're expected to change their behaviour when there are no alternatives there for them," she said. "If you live in Mackenzie and you have to drive to Prince George to see a specialist, you have to make that drive whether the gas tax is there or not."
The carbon tax, effective July 1, will be phased in over five years, starting at a rate based on $10 per tonne of carbon emissions and rising $5 a year to $30 per tonne by 2012.
The tax works out to an extra 2.4 cents on a litre of gasoline, rising to 7.24 cents per litre of gasoline by 2012. The carbon tax on diesel and home heating oil will start at 2.7 cents per litre and increase to 8.2 cents per litre over the same five-year period.
During consideration of the resolutions, Mayor Colin Kinsley said the tax will cost the city an estimated $110,000 a year in fuel and heating costs which could have been spent on improving Prince George's transit system.
He also said that Prince George experiences 5,250 hours a year of "degree days" when heat is required compared to just 2,950 in Vancouver and a whopping 7,000 in Fort Nelson.
Coun. Don Zurowski said the carbon tax will only hinder a struggling forest industry and is only revenue neutral when the industry is profitable.
"It's a B.C. forest industry disadvantage and that is concerning," he said.
Coun. Brian Skakun, who championed Prince George's resolution, said the carbon tax won't have any effect on his behaviour because northern B.C. winters are simply to cold for him to lower his thermostat or refrain from warming up his vehicle.
"People on fixed incomes are going to get hit, businesses that have to heat their buildings are going to get nailed and it's not a level playing field," he said.
Prince George-Omineca MLA John Rustad, who sat in on the discussion stressed afterwards that effect on people on fixed incomes was taken into consideration when the tax was developed and they'll get a break on their income tax as a result.
Each taxpayer will receive a $100 cheque to offset the money they lost to the levy. As well, the bottom two personal income tax rates will be cut by two per cent in 2008 and five per cent in 2009 on the first $70,000 in earnings.
"It's not so much an increase in tax as it's a shift and what we've said is if you're using carbon you'll be paying a tax on that and if you reduce that use, you pay less in taxes," he said.
Rustad, who drives about 30,000 kilometres a year, estimated the carbon tax will add about $60 to his gas bills. However, Rustad saw some merit in municipalities concerns about the effect on their costs, saying he's not sure if local governments will get rebates.
"It's something I need to look into," he said.
Prince George North MLA Pat Bell maintained northern B.C. will actually be a net gainer once other carbon-reduction initiatives are taken into account.
"We could see easily into the billion-dollar-plus range in investment in bioengery across the region," he said. "We've made a big commitment to a biodiesel plant, $10 million there.
"Those are all investments that are made as a result of a commitment to a climate-change agenda. You don't kind of get to have it both ways, either you're in or you're out."
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 08 May 2008 )
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