More Money to the Government, Less to the Taxpayers
Montréal, July 6, 2016 –Adrien Pouliot, leader of Team Adrien Pouliot – Quebec Conservative Party, reacted today to the Preliminary Monthly Report On Financial Transactions for the fiscal year 2015-2016 issued by the Quebec Finance Department on June 30, 2016.
While he rejoiced at the $3.2 billion surplus (before the deposits to the Generations Fund), Mr. Pouliot noted that the taxpayer, again, deserved most of the credit for this result. Own-source revenues of the government have increased by 4.4%. However, Quebec inflation barely surpassed 0.7% in the April 2015-March 2016 period. This means that the rate of revenue increase was six (6) times the rate of inflation. Meanwhile, revenues for the sixty or so non-budget funded bodies (which include, among others, the Société d’habitation du Québec, the Financière agricole, the RAMQ, the SAAQ and the Agence métropolitaine de transports) jumped 5.8%, eight (8) times the inflation rate!
According to economic journalist Michel Girard, revenues from fees and permit have increased the most since the Liberals have been in government, or 27.1%. The tab for these fees: $3.76 billion, $802 million more than in 2014. The second biggest increase comes from school taxes. Finance Minister Carlos Leitão was forecasting revenues of $2.14 billion from this source, a jump of $349 million as compared to 2013-2014. This increase of 19.5% in school taxes comes as a result of budget cuts imposed on school boards.
Lastly, the Quebec debt continues to mushroom. The budget was anticipating an increase of gross debt to the tune of $3.7 billion, excluding the debt raked up by universities, municipalities and other entities under the ultimate financial responsibility of the Quebec government. Debt is simply a deferred tax which will have to be borne by future generations.
« The Liberals continue to fleece the taxpayers and force them to bear the biggest burden to eliminate the deficit. We are amongst the most taxed in North America but, in exchange for this burden, we receive services that are continuing to deteriorate”, lamented the Party leader.
Contact information :
Louis-Charles Fortier, Communications Director
[email protected]
(514) 978-3410
www.quebecconservativeparty.org