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Originally Posted by crazy_eoj
Point being, and still is, even at the depth of the dark klein days, we still spent as much as other provinces.
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Interesting. I feel this makes my point. Alberta needs to spend above average.
Quote:
Originally Posted by crazy_eoj
We over funded all spending until we accumulated a huge debt of over 22 billion dollars by 1993. How could we possible have accumulated an equal infrastructure deficit at the same time? Then we reduced spending to an amount equal to the Canadian average for about 5 years, and then proceeded to overspend again for the past decade until we have exhausted the savings we have accumulated and racked up another deficit.
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There are many ways in which this is possible: population growth creating above-average infrastructure requirements, spending directed to other things instead of infrastructure, undertaxation. The funny thing is your analysis completely ignores what our infrastructure requirements are. But if you look at how we closed hospitals (in Calgary) then had to expand and build new ones to get that capacity back, I don't know how anyone can say we never had an infrastructure deficit.
If you want an example of a current infrastructure deficit, well Highway 63 (the one that goes to Fort McMurray) is a good example. Let's see: boom creates population growth and commercial activity. This boom creates a lot of revenues for the province, but the province doesn't put those revenue into twinning the highway fast enough. Now, it's the deadliest highway in Alberta and a huge problem. This is how a growth drives infrastructure demands. It's an infrastructure deficit because we are behind on needed construction.
Even the Wildrose agrees we need to finish twinning it. (
http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/Art...aspx?e=3522819). I wonder what they think its per km costs will be, compared to other provinces where labour is cheaper. (
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