2015 Alberta Budget Discussion

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by Slava

My favorite is where they just rearrange a few things and suddenly the people can afford a mortgage they thought they couldn't. I'm sure that kind of scenario ends well in every case.

There is some batcrap crazy radio commercial I've heard for debt consolidation in Alberta. Typical things like roll all your credit card debts into one and lower the rate, get banks to back off, etc.

And then the very last line from the couple is:

". . . and maybe, just maybe, we'll have something left over for that vacation trip."

FFS, if you are in such a debt hole of doom, the last thing you should be doing is going to Vegas, Mexico or anywhere else. Pick up some extra hours or jobs!

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by chemgear

FFS, if you are in such a debt hole of doom, the last thing you should be doing is going to Vegas, Mexico or anywhere else. Pick up some extra hours or jobs!

Every industry now seems to turn to porn for inspiration. You could retire at 55 and go travel the world if you invest with us no matter how little money you make. It's always easy to sell dreams than reality to make money.

[Harry Lime]

Classic redirection.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

Classic redirection.

Few in here actually want to find answers, most are just looking for someone to blame and to reaffirm their beliefs.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by ThisIsAnOutrage

Full marks for missing the point, MMM. Before the budget, there was no question that I could afford the tickets. After the budget because I have to pay more for health-care, I do have to think twice about it. Get it? I guarantee I'm not the only one who has to reconsider luxuries in light of what was announced.

I am not missing the point, your budget was such that a relatively small increase to a tax that is quite obviously required if you have any insight into the economics of the province made it so that you felt as though you were unable to afford the luxuries you feel you are entitled to, while getting others to continue paying for luxuries that you have had heavily subsidized in the past (health care). Now that you are being requested to pay for more of the former luxuries (which are much more important than a hockey game mind you), you are up in arms because it may interfere with your ability to pay other things.

Think of health care as a luxury that you have been able to get at a heavy discount for the past decade and it may soften the blow a little bit.

Also if this budget really impacts your life that much, then maybe you should look into how you spend your money.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

then maybe you should look into how you spend your money.

This is exactly the thing this 40 year old dinosaur fossilized government should be doing before raising taxes.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by darklord700

This is exactly the thing this 40 year old dinosaur fossilized government should be doing before raising taxes.

Well maybe they looked at spending and determined that fixing the car was a necessary and decided to acquire new revenue to do so

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

Well maybe they looked at spending and determined that fixing the car was a necessary and decided to acquire new revenue to do so

This is what the new health care premium buys.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/ed...805/story.html

Alberta premier’s office shells out $13,000 for huge TVs

[wooohooo]

Originally Posted by darklord700

This is what the new health care premium buys.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/ed...805/story.html

Alberta premier’s office shells out $13,000 for huge TVs

Haha love this quote

He said the existing 65-inch screens used for video conferencing during cabinet meetings couldn’t include everyone around the table and were of poor quality.

Where can I get one of these tiny 65-inch screens? Seems useless for people now.

[peter12]

The provincial is still hand-cuffed by the CBAs from past years. Above-market public sector salaries are the sole blame for our current budget situation. Start drawing those down to the Canadian average, but still keep them in line with cost of living here, and you would see some major fiscal improvements.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by darklord700

Alberta premier’s office shells out $13,000 for huge TVs

It's sad that this is what passes for journalism in this province. We're dealing with billions of dollars of budget shortfalls, systemic underfunding of infrastructure, and a tax regime that cannot possibly generate the funds needed to operate schools and hospitals in a growing province, and this is what they come up with? Little scandals involving thousands of dollars?

The average Albertan doesn't have the faintest clue what the government balance sheet looks like, or how much of the budget goes to health care, but they'll get all riled up about TVs.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by peter12

The provincial is still hand-cuffed by the CBAs from past years. Above-market public sector salaries are the sole blame for our current budget situation. Start drawing those down to the Canadian average, but still keep them in line with cost of living here, and you would see some major fiscal improvements.

Up until about three months ago, every employer in this province paid at least 20 per cent higher for labour than their counterparts in other provinces. If you want to attract a welder or accountant from Ontario, you have to pay a lot more. If you want someone in Calgary to work the counter at Tim Horton's you have to pay a lot more than in Rimouski. Why would you expect the public sector to be different?

[nik-]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

It's sad that this is what passes for journalism in this province. We're dealing with billions of dollars of budget shortfalls, systemic underfunding of infrastructure, and a tax regime that cannot possibly generate the funds needed to operate schools and hospitals in a growing province, and this is what they come up with? Little scandals involving thousands of dollars?

The average Albertan doesn't have the faintest clue what the government balance sheet looks like, or how much of the budget goes to health care, but they'll get all riled up about TVs.

Why do you think that politicians keep talking about things like cutting MLA salaries or bonuses? It gets people on board and it really means nothing. It's not even a drop of the drop in a bucket.

[CliffFletcher]

$52 million a day. That's what it costs to keep our doctors and nurses paid and our hospitals running.

"$15,000 on TVs?!... rabble... rabble ...rabble."

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Up until about three months ago, every employer in this province paid at least 20 per cent higher for labour than their counterparts in other provinces. If you want to attract a welder or accountant from Ontario, you have to pay a lot more. If you want someone in Calgary to work the counter at Tim Horton's you have to pay a lot more than in Rimouski. Why would you expect the public sector to be different?

From the brain of the Fraser Institute, out the mouth of the Alberta voter.

[Canehdianman]

Where do I sign up for some of that above average public salary? I took a hefty pay cut to become a public servant.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by darklord700

This is what the new health care premium buys.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/ed...805/story.html

Alberta premier’s office shells out $13,000 for huge TVs

It is $13,000 for the office of the highest politician in the entire province. That is such a miniscule amount that it is laughable to be concerned about it. What a very strange talking point.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

It is $13,000 for the office of the highest politician in the entire province. That is such a miniscule amount that it is laughable to be concerned about it. What a very strange talking point.

It helps to distract from the recent Herald poll that showed 44% of Albertan's favour raising the corporate tax rate.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

It is $13,000 for the office of the highest politician in the entire province. That is such a miniscule amount that it is laughable to be concerned about it. What a very strange talking point.

The TV's are apparently to facilitate conference calls. The gov't airplanes have been sold and they plan to use more conference calls to save on travel costs.

The present TVs are apparently too small for everyone to view when a conference call is made.

One will be placed in gov't house downtown, one in the leg, and two in the Edmonton gov't offices.

[Flamenspiel]

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/ca...g-tories-looms

An interesting turn of events, could be a case of democracy in action!