Breakenridge: Premier blows through fiscal policies; says Calgarians wanted increased spending |
No one should hold their breath expecting a referendum on a provincial sales tax alongside all the other questions on the Oct. 19 ballot.
Last week, Premier Danielle Smith confirmed that the only way her government would consider a PST is if its proponents do the citizen initiative petition legwork and force a vote. That’s not likely to happen, just as it’s unlikely there would be anything close to majority support if such a vote did occur.
As it stands, Alberta law stipulates that a referendum must occur before a PST can be implemented. In fact, the Taxpayer Protection Act was amended in 2023 to include the same requirement for any future personal or corporate income tax increases.
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As the premier declared at the time, “Promise made. Promise kept. Bill 1 has passed in the legislature, ensuring families and businesses are protected from future tax hikes without a referendum.”
That will come as news to the families and businesses hit with tax increases in last month’s budget. The Taxpayer Protection Act, of course, does not cover increases in the province’s........