BC Liberals are doing a great job financially for our province? ... Hogwash!

In a Letter to the Editor (September 14^th 100 Mile Free Press), writer Joe Sawchuck states …

“The present B.C. Liberal government is on the right track regarding the management of British Columbians’ taxpayer dollars … the BC Liberals inherited a "have-not" province from the former NDP government. In 2002, after being government for a year, the BC Liberals once again made B.C. a "have" province … why would we ever think of changing the guard when B.C. is well managed?”

So Joe … you think the BC Liberals are doing a great job financially for our province??  Hogwash -- they are simply NDP light when it comes to spending.  I would encourage you to read the BC Budgets "Summary: Budget and Fiscal Plan – 2011/2012 to 2013/14" 

This government document shows total provincial debt at $47 billion 757 million for 2010/11 ... $53 billion 437 million for 2011/12 … a projected debt of $57 billion 572 million for 2012/13 and projected debt of $60 billion 355 million … and that was before the referendum vote to abolish the HST.

This government has been running annual deficits year after year --- and it’s not until the 2012/13 budget where we somehow have a budget surplus of $175 million.  Can anyone tell me how they do that when that same year the debt is set to hit a record $60 billion??? 

In February of 2010, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation stated:

“Taxpayers now spend $7 million dollars per day to fund the debt, and that will go up to $8 million per day in 2011. This is money that could otherwise be spent on healthcare, education, or better yet, tax cuts. But no, it goes to bondholders to pay the interest on the debt.” 

Using figures from the “Summary: Budget and Fiscal Plan – 2011/2012 to 2013/14", it shows that $3 Billion dollars a year would be equal too:

• 40% of the Education budget … 
• 20% of the health care budget … 
• 2.3 times the budget for Children and Family Development … 
• over 4 times the budget for Public Safety … 
• 5 times the budget for the Forest, Land, and Natural Resources Ministry …
• and over 20 times the budget for the Environment Ministry!

So … do you still think the BC Liberals are on the right track … I think there are at least a few people who would beg to differ.

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative.