Alberta Politics & Government Thread 3.0

[Slava]

This budget is a complete joke. These people are morons, and have no idea what they’re doing.

[Fuzz]

Can someone explain the vape tax(and I know, it's not just Alberta)? I don't vape, so have no horse in this one, but...why? Cigarette and alcohol taxes make some sense, but it's my understanding there aren't societal costs to vaping. Or are there?

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

$200 annual fee to drive an EV?!

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I think EV taxes are good policy, unless there is some better long term plan to re-coup gas taxes that should go to pay for roads(in theory?). And Texas does the same thing, and we are Texas North, so...

As does Saskatchewan. I think it's good policy as well until we figure out a different way to normalize charges bewtween different vehicles.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Can someone explain the vape tax(and I know, it's not just Alberta)? I don't vape, so have no horse in this one, but...why? Cigarette and alcohol taxes make some sense, but it's my understanding there aren't societal costs to vaping. Or are there?

Considering it is a pretty new product the long term impacts aren't really known but there have been significant campaigns recently about the dangers to young adults regarding ongoing brain development.

Plus, why does a tax have to be on a dangerous or harmful product? We pay GST on all sorts of things that don't have a societal cost to them.

[Roughneck]

Start charging by the axle

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

It's the equivalent of 2200 litres of gas. Which would get you:

27500 kms in an 8L/100km vehicle, or 22000 kms in a 10L/100km, etc

Where are you getting 2200 litres of gas for $200?

[Whynotnow]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

As does Saskatchewan. I think it's good policy as well until we figure out a different way to normalize charges bewtween different vehicles.

As an EV owner it doesn’t bother me a ton if the following are true- you can follow the dollars directly to roadway spending and their math is right. Unfortunately I have scepticism on both of those counts.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Considering it is a pretty new product the long term impacts aren't really known but there have been significant campaigns recently about the dangers to young adults regarding ongoing brain development.

Plus, why does a tax have to be on a dangerous or harmful product? We pay GST on all sorts of things that don't have a societal cost to them.

Well you would still pay GST on them too. There aren't many products with additional taxes on them I can think of, and the reason for those taxes makes sense. You tax it to recoup some of the costs.

[accord1999]

Originally Posted by Whynotnow

As an EV owner it doesn’t bother me a ton if the following are true- you can follow the dollars directly to roadway spending and their math is right. Unfortunately I have scepticism on both of those counts.

For the most part, fuel taxes don't directly go to roadway spending. They usually get mixed into general revenue or allowed to be spent on transit. It's better to think of it that Canadian governments want to get a couple to several hundred dollars of revenues from a driver for the privilege of driving.

[Looch City]

How long will it take to recover for this 4 years of craziness?

[timun]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

Where are you getting 2200 litres of gas for $200?

9¢/L provincial gas tax. $200 / $0.09/L = 2222.222... L

[Muta]

Originally Posted by Looch City

How long will it take to recover for this 4 years of craziness?

If the UCP's own strategy of constantly blaming the NDP, Notley, and 'the left' for things that happened mere minutes ago, even when they haven't been in power for half a decade applies here... maybe eternally?

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Well you would still pay GST on them too. There aren't many products with additional taxes on them I can think of, and the reason for those taxes makes sense. You tax it to recoup some of the costs.

There is the luxury tax, taxes on travelling like the air travelers security tax, special taxes on insurance premiums.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

There is the luxury tax, taxes on travelling like the air travelers security tax, special taxes on insurance premiums.

Sure...but you are still taxing a harm reduction product. And even if it wasn't that, isn't it like taxing a lolipop(short of actual evidence it causes harm)?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

Considering it is a pretty new product the long term impacts aren't really known but there have been significant campaigns recently about the dangers to young adults regarding ongoing brain development.

Plus, why does a tax have to be on a dangerous or harmful product? We pay GST on all sorts of things that don't have a societal cost to them.

Any boutique tax is a behaviour modification tax. We already pay gst on vapes. This is an additional sin tax.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

There is the luxury tax, taxes on travelling like the air travelers security tax, special taxes on insurance premiums.

Security tax is a user fee though. Luxury taxes are another means of progressive taxation.

[KelVarnsen]

Originally Posted by Looch City

How long will it take to recover for this 4 years of craziness?

No

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Can someone explain the vape tax(and I know, it's not just Alberta)? I don't vape, so have no horse in this one, but...why? Cigarette and alcohol taxes make some sense, but it's my understanding there aren't societal costs to vaping. Or are there?

Pretty sure it's still pretty bad for your lungs.

And it's obnoxious, albeit slightly less so than regular cigs.

[Fuzz]

Gondek also said the province is raising how much education property taxes it will take from the city, which will further raise this year's property tax increase.

"With this budget I can now confirm for you that the province is in fact taking $96 million more than last year," she told reporters during a news conference following the budget's release.

"That's a 12-per-cent increase, as opposed to holding the line, or letting us keep more property taxes here, as had been promised."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...130522?cmp=rss


LOL, so they snuck in a tax increase that's going to get pinned on municipalities. Good ol' Conservatives. Amazing people fall for this #### every time. But voters aren't stupid, right!?!

[puffnstuff]

Media framing this budget as increases in funding when it really isnt really not helpful. Not taking population growth or inflation into account is poor journalism.