January 6, 2012
DIX BREAKS NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION, KEEPS SPENDING

VICTORIA – It only took Adrian Dix and the BC NDP five days to break their New Year's resolution to stop promising millions in new spending. They continued their endless un-costed spending spree this week, racking up $140 million in new spending promises in just two days.

“Adrian Dix said he would be “modest” in his spending commitments,” says Langley MLA Mary Polak. “Yet the reckless promises made by the BC NDP this week are anything but modest.”

Earlier this week, BC NDP MLA Jagrup Brar stated that current income assistance rates were “unacceptable”. On Thursday, MLA Leonard Krog supported trial lawyers in their withdrawal of duty counsel services. One of the key issues in this dispute is an increase in the hourly rates for lawyers from the current range of $84 to $93 per hour.

“In just over six months, Adrian Dix has committed to billions of dollars in new government spending should his party form government,” says Polak. “It’s no surprise that the trend is continuing, but it is insulting to British Columbians that he is hiding how he will pay for those promises. He has only three choices – cut existing services, raise taxes, or both.”

A 10% increase to income assistance rates is conservatively estimated to require $120 million annually while Krog is calling for approximately $20 million a year in increases to the legal services budget. 

“That’s $140 million in promises in just two days and no explanation from Dix on how he’ll pay for it,” says Polak. “In these challenging economic times, sound economic management is more important than ever. Adrian Dix is clearly not up to this challenge, because he lacks fiscal prudence and the ability to make tough choices.”

Adrian Dix, repeated by Leonard Krog this week (CBC Radio, 5 Jan 12), stated that they intend to tax “high income” earners. In the previous NDP government, “high-income” earners were classified as any person making over $60,000 a year.

Visit Mary’s website at www.marypolakmla.bc.ca

-30-