With the province set to release what is likely to be a controversial budget on April 14, Alberta's NDP government has served notice it doesn't care if its already pinned with a deadbeat sign.
Premier Rachel Notley's government wants to skip town on provincial municipalities on its moral obligation to pay its taxes.
The issue here for the upcoming budget is not about the proposed carbon tax or the prospect of municipalities facing reductions of critically important MSI funding for infrastructure projects. Facing higher taxes or reductions on these items are at least understandable as they either speak to the NDP's traditional ideology or the need for spending cuts during a time of a deepening recession.
What municipal officials across the province are angrily scratching their heads about is why the Notley government is proposing for the second year in a row to not provide a provincewide $15-million grant in lieu of taxes for social housing.
This is money the provincial government has historically paid to municipalities to pay for its taxes on properties it owns. But the NDP has already told mayors and reeves not to expect social housing cheques, which has already caused municipalities to scramble and make adjustments to their budgets.
The loss of this revenue is a $6-million hit to both the cities of Calgary and Edmonton, and a $500,000 loss to the City of Red Deer. And Innisfail? The town has calculated it will lose $50,000 of money it counted on for this year's municipal budget, a 67 per cent of a one percentage mill rate tax point the town decided not to pass on to local taxpayers in the 2016 budget.
That $50,000 was earmarked for the payment of taxes on 61 provincially owned properties, including 48 assisted living units at Dodds Lake Manor and Poplar Grove Court. Yes, those social housing units are for local seniors and citizens who are struggling financially.
“It amazes me that this is not a part of their doctrine,” said Coun. Gavin Bates at council's regular March 28 meeting. Yes, the left-wing party, so proud to be the social conscience of Alberta's political landscape, wants to dodge the responsibility of paying taxes, something every citizen and business across the province is legally obligated to do. In doing so, the NDP has targeted a program that was created to help vulnerable citizens.
In the meantime, the town has rightly jumped on board on a request by the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) to lobby the province to reconsider this baffling initiative.
“It is clear that the government does not understand the impact of this downloading of costs,” said Sue Bohaichuk, chief executive officer for AUMA in an email sent to the town.
The social housing grant issue once again illustrates the government's inability to communicate to an electorate that embraced the notion last May 5 the NDP was a choice for positive change, that they were the face of compassion and understanding.
If the Progressive Conservatives had lost their way after 44 years in power, the NDP has repeated history in less than one.
