Alberta Politics Thread

[malcolmk14]

Some people are throwing around that number of 35-40% tax. I'd be curious to know what percentage of their gross income people ACTUALLY paid on their taxes in 2015...

I consider myself a middle-income earner, and I paid:

Federal Tax 8.75%
Provincial Tax 3.40%

Total 12.15%

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

Some people are throwing around that number of 35-40% tax. I'd be curious to know what percentage of their gross income people ACTUALLY paid on their taxes in 2015...

I consider myself a middle-income earner, and I paid:

Federal Tax 8.75%
Provincial Tax 3.40%

Total 12.15%

I'd like to know what the gross income on that was, and what your definition of a middle class income is.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

Some people are throwing around that number of 35-40% tax. I'd be curious to know what percentage of their gross income people ACTUALLY paid on their taxes in 2015...

I consider myself a middle-income earner, and I paid:

Federal Tax 8.75%
Provincial Tax 3.40%

Total 12.15%

I'd be elated to only pay 12.15%.

[CaptainCrunch]

Federal 16%
Provincial 7.32%

Total with other government deductions 27%

Once you start adding in all of the other taxes it goes over the 30% mark and probably close to 35%

[Makarov]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

Some people are throwing around that number of 35-40% tax. I'd be curious to know what percentage of their gross income people ACTUALLY paid on their taxes in 2015...

I consider myself a middle-income earner, and I paid:

Federal Tax 8.75%
Provincial Tax 3.40%

Total 12.15%

To be fair, there is a lot more to the overall tax burden then just income taxes. In any event, the fact remains: Albertans pay among the lowest taxes in the Developed world. And yet this thread is full of hysterics and tantrums.

And to be clear, I'm not suggesting that Albertans shouldn't have a real discussion about tax rates, but do it with a little bit of perspective.

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

Some people are throwing around that number of 35-40% tax. I'd be curious to know what percentage of their gross income people ACTUALLY paid on their taxes in 2015...

I consider myself a middle-income earner, and I paid:

Federal Tax 8.75%
Provincial Tax 3.40%

Total 12.15%

fed+provincial = 24.3% for me.

then add GST, gas taxes, property taxes, etc.... and 35-40% is definitely the right range.

[the_only_turek_fan]

I agree with everyone and wanted the PCs out.

However, I am shocked that folks would rather have the NDP than the WRP.

[the_only_turek_fan]

Disclosure: I support the WRP.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

I agree with everyone and wanted the PCs out.

However, I am shocked that folks would rather have the NDP than the WRP.

Well, considering the only point I remember from Brian Jean was "no new taxes", his platform seamed pretty shallow. That, and the whole turncoat thing really turned a lot of people off the WRP/PC's.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Well, considering the only point I remember from Brian Jean was "no new taxes", his platform seamed pretty shallow. That, and the whole turncoat thing really turned a lot of people off the WRP/PC's.

The whole having a a significant amount of bigots as a portion of your base thing tends to turn people off as well.

[MrMastodonFarm]

It's easy to have no regrets about the 2015 election when you remember the other parties and candidates.

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

I agree with everyone and wanted the PCs out.

However, I am shocked that folks would rather have the NDP than the WRP.

I'm shocked that you don't realise people have different political ideologies than you.

[Bootsy]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

I agree with everyone and wanted the PCs out.

However, I am shocked that folks would rather have the NDP than the WRP.

I voted WRP as well but think between the turncoat thing and Jean not looking very good in the debates while Notley looked good in the debates (albeit by spewing a bunch of BS) that was the difference.

[Nufy]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

It's easy to have no regrets about the 2015 election when you remember the other parties and candidates.

I would be curious to know how many people voted NDP as a protest vote...then woke up the next day going..."Holy Crap they won ????"

[Coach]

Originally Posted by the_only_turek_fan

I agree with everyone and wanted the PCs out.

However, I am shocked that folks would rather have the NDP than the WRP.

When you have members/candidates that are legit racists and bigots, it's really hard to support, regardless if economic policies.

It's the same as the Federal election. I'm sure there are a lot of people who would have voted Conservative based on economic policy (myself included, potentially), but there are social issues that just can't be ignored on principal. Until the right wing parties figure out that they can't center policies around outdated ideals, it will be tough for them to win going forward.

[iggyformayor]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Well, considering the only point I remember from Brian Jean was "no new taxes", his platform seamed pretty shallow. That, and the whole turncoat thing really turned a lot of people off the WRP/PC's.

I voted NDP. Doesn't mean I like the NDP, but there was not way in hell I was voting for the PCs after the way they'd run things for the last few years, and why would I vote for the WRP when even their leader was so quick to jump ship? After that, what other options were there really? I never would have expected an NDP majority like we got, and looking back I wish I had just spoiled my vote instead, but everyone bitching about everyone who voted NDP really has to stop. I voted for what I thought was the best possible option at the time, and it is what it is. Somehow we'll get through this and the world isn't going to burn because of it.

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by MattyC

When you have members/candidates that are legit racists and bigots, it's really hard to support, regardless if economic policies.

It's the same as the Federal election. I'm sure there are a lot of people who would have voted Conservative based on economic policy (myself included, potentially), but there are social issues that just can't be ignored on principal. Until the right wing parties figure out that they can't center policies around outdated ideals, it will be tough for them to win going forward.

From reading comments on articles on Facebook and such, it's painfully obvious that there are still a lot of people in this province that feel the exact same way as those racists and bigots, and they have no problem spewing their crap for everyone to see.

I like to think we've made progress in Alberta when it comes to acceptance, but there's still that crowd bubbling beneath the surface that has beliefs that were a lot more common a century ago than now.

[the_only_turek_fan]

Brian "no new taxes" Jean sure looks like a better choice than Notley. And this is not hindsight. Those of us that know and understand history totally saw this coming.

Notley didn't campaign on the carbon tax or this massive property tax hike.

This so called outrage that has been brewing in the papers and on talk radio is was as predictable as the Oilers missing the playoffs.

And the funny thing is people are going to get scared by a few dumb things that some candidates say and vote for Notley again and then go back to complaining.

We really do live in a screwed up world.

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by Canehdianman

fed+provincial = 24.3% for me.

then add GST, gas taxes, property taxes, etc.... and 35-40% is definitely the right range.

Similar numbers for me.

[the_only_turek_fan]

I just hope it doesn't take Albertans 17 years to realize the mistake Manitobans corrected last night.

/Back to work. Enjoy the rest of the day.