Alberta budget news

[monkeyman]

Originally Posted by Slava

I don't disagree. The problem is that its all spin. The MLAs didn't get a huge raise this spring, it was just spun that way by the opposition and sounded good in the media. They basically get the same amount, its just that they don't get the same committee pay and things like that. So while the base pay increase at the end of the day its not a raise at all.

Does that mean they should have their wages cut? Sure. Its just that you have to look dollar for dollar at what was going out before and what goes out now and base the cuts on that.

So they don't get paid for committees they don't attend so to make up for it we give them a raise? The raise doesn't include the money it's going to cost us for that golden retirement plan they gave themselves too. Don't kid yourself, by the time it's all said and done, it's going to cost us tax payers a hell of a lot more than you think.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Azure

And this is exactly the problem. MLA's already made a fine salary before the wage bump, and despite not delivering any kind of effective leadership, they still increased their own wages.

Now they want to make the poor, helpless and needy a focus of budget cuts, but ignore that their own wages, small of a cut they might be, should ALSO be part of the debate.

What wage bump? Are we talking 2008? Because that was the wage increase...

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Slava

What wage bump? Are we talking 2008? Because that was the wage increase...

2012

Alberta MLAs, who are among the best paid in Canada, awarded themselves another raise Tuesday by boosting their RRSP benefits.
A Conservative-dominated legislature committee nearly doubled the amount MLAs get in cash from the public purse to purchase RRSPs, but to get the maximum benefit they would have to contribute some of their own money.

The RRSP hike - which increases the taxpayer-paid annual contribution from $11,485 to $22,331 - offsets some of the income MLAs relinquished when Premier Alison Redford eliminated their generous transition allowances during the spring election campaign.

The 8.1 per cent increase pushes Alberta MLA salaries to $156,311, second only to Quebec among Canadian provinces. Deputy premier Thomas Lukaszuk said the raise is a decrease from the amount MLAs were earning before the premier eliminated the so-called "gold-plated" severance packages that saw some politicians walk away with more than $1 million.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/po...945/story.html

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Dion

2012



http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/po...945/story.html

Right, well this is the spin I talked about earlier. It's easy to lump that in as a pay increase, but before taxpayers were on the hook for transition allowances. Those were much more generous than the RRSPs are.

[Dion]

Alberta's sim budget website a political move: prof

Mensah, a political scientist at Grant MacEwan University, said that by showing the public a narrow set of budget balancing options, it may soften them up before possible major service cuts and tax increases down the road.

One thing that isn’t an option to cut: MLA salaries.

“Typically if you want to embark on a program of austerity, one has to cut from the top and send the message that austerity begins with the decision makers,” said Mensah.

“But if they are not taking that direction, it’s difficult to preach that to the public.”

http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/01/31...ical-move-prof

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Slava

Right, well this is the spin I talked about earlier. It's easy to lump that in as a pay increase, but before taxpayers were on the hook for transition allowances. Those were much more generous than the RRSPs are.

The RRSP allowance they get is still better than what public sector unions and the general public gets. Also Alberta MLA's have the second highest wages in the country.

Total MLA compensation

- Quebec $183,930
- Alberta $156,311
- B.C. $151,804
- Ontario $142,773
-Nfld/Lab $139,888
- N.S. $133,761
- N.B. $124,670
- Manitoba $112,802
- Sask. $109,548
- P.E.I $105,529

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Dion

The RRSP allowance they get is still better than what public sector unions and the general public gets. Also Alberta MLA's have the second highest wages in the country.

Total MLA compensation

- Quebec $183,930
- Alberta $156,311
- B.C. $151,804
- Ontario $142,773
-Nfld/Lab $139,888
- N.S. $133,761
- N.B. $124,670
- Manitoba $112,802
- Sask. $109,548
- P.E.I $105,529

Well the rate of pay was in line with the independent judge last year. Frankly speaking, who cares if the RRSP is better than other industries?

I don't have a problem with MLAs here making more than other provinces either. We're not way above them and the cost of living is higher here as well.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Slava

Well the rate of pay was in line with the independent judge last year. Frankly speaking, who cares if the RRSP is better than other industries?

I don't have a problem with MLAs here making more than other provinces either. We're not way above them and the cost of living is higher here as well.

What about the doctors Redford is pointing out in the media? Their costs involved in operating Alberta are higher so why tell them they have to take a cutback?

If you want doctors to buy in then cuts have to start at the top also.

------------------------------------------

First point - doctors are not looking for a fee increase, we are fighting a wage cut. The propaganda that has been out saying that they were imposing a wage "raise" were false. They are trying to cut the retention benefit and business cost program (which results in an average of 10-15% paycut). This is tough to swallow especially in light of the pay raise the MLAs gave themselves.

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpos...&postcount=272

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Dion

What about the doctors Redford is pointing out in the media? Their costs involved in operating Alberta are higher so why tell them they have to take a cutback?

If you want doctors to buy in then cuts have to start at the top also.

------------------------------------------



http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showpos...&postcount=272

Healthcare probably does cost more here at least in part due to the cost of living being higher. I don't understand why that means that politicians should take a pay cut though? Why should Danielle Smith be paid less for her fine work because the province and doctors are bargaining on a new deal?

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Slava

Healthcare probably does cost more here at least in part due to the cost of living being higher. I don't understand why that means that politicians should take a pay cut though? Why should Danielle Smith be paid less for her fine work because the province and doctors are bargaining on a new deal?

Politicians set budgets and spending. Take responsibility when things don't turn out right and share in some of the cuts you expect others to take.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Dion

Politicians set budgets and spending. Take responsibility when things don't turn out right and share in some of the cuts you expect others to take.

They also set revenues.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by First Lady

So you support controlling the input. Which is exactly what they have done.

We all know exactly why they are doing this - - so in March they can say "53% of Albertans support increasing taxes" or reinstating AHS fees, etc.

Anyone who doesn't think they already have the bulk of the budget hammered out at this point is delusional.

The whole having a "summit" is just hogwash. They were elected to govern and here we are a month away from the budget and they are supposedly still in "consulation" mode - give me a break.

I found thid interesting bit of news in the Sun a few days ago.....

ONE-WAY CONVERSATION

I was one of the lucky PC party members to be invited to participate in the (telephone town hall) sham. I sat on hold after punching in the code to register that I had a question to ask, and listened to the sycophants grovel to Premier Alison Redford — not one of them actually asking hard questions. Finally an aide came on so I could tell him my question for the premier. He said thank you, but these questions are being vetted and picked. As a result, all you heard were the liberal conservatives spouting what Ms. Redford wants to hear and endlessly spouts back to us as her “conversation with Albertans” and nothing else. This is no conversation — this is a nanny lecture. I would love to say more, but I am for once, speechless. Go Wildrose!

Vivien Jonathan

http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/01/29...anuary-30-2013

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Slava

They also set revenues.

Does a looming 6 billion dollar defecit mean they are doing a good job?

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Dion

Does a looming 6 billion dollar defecit mean they are doing a good job?

With our reliance on resource revenues it was somewhat unavoidable, wouldn't you say?

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Dion

Does a looming 6 billion dollar defecit mean they are doing a good job?

No, they need to increase those revenues in addition to making cuts.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Slava

With our reliance on resource revenues it was somewhat unavoidable, wouldn't you say?

I seem to remeber that the other 3 parties said the oil price they used for budget purposes was too high and unrealistic.The Redford govt was also painting a rosy and bright picture for the province during the election.

I've always held the belief that relying soley on oil and gas revenues is a risk the provice shouldn't be taking. It could have been avoided if other streams of revenue were used along with energy royalties.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Rathji

No, they need to increase those revenues in addition to making cuts.

I think they've done a poor job, but that's my opinion.

As for revenues, read my response to Slava.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Dion

I seem to remeber that the other 3 parties said the oil price they used for budget purposes was too high and unrealistic.The Redford govt was also painting a rosy and bright picture for the province during the election.

I've always held the belief that relying soley on oil and gas revenues is a risk the provice shouldn't be taking. It could have been avoided if other streams of revenue were used along with energy royalties.

You mean other sources of revenue like taxes?

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by Dion

I found thid interesting bit of news in the Sun a few days ago.....

http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/01/29...anuary-30-2013

That's not unusual. All Parties (or candidates) who do those telephone townhalls have moderators who control call flow.

They may have taken it a step further and actually predetermined the questions and set certain people to ask those questions.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by Slava

You mean other sources of revenue like taxes?

Yeah on that note.... how come they always complain about Alberta growing by 100,000 people per year, but never celebrate the increased tax revenue that generates?