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British Columbia Shows the Way with a Carbon Tax
by David Sassoon - Feb 19th, 2008
This is straight from the press release of British Columbia's Ministry of Finance:
Effective July 1, 2008, subject to approval by the legislature, British Columbia will introduce a fully revenue-neutral carbon tax with built in protection for lower income British Columbians. The tax will begin at a low rate and increase gradually to give individuals and businesses time to adjust. It will apply to virtually all fossil fuels, including gasoline, diesel, natural gas, coal, propane, and home heating fuel - making it among the broadest and most comprehensive in the world.
Finance Minister Carole Taylor made the announcement with the release of BC's Balanced Budget 2008. Here's more on the carbon tax:
The carbon tax is forecast to generate approximately $1,849 million over three years.
This revenue will be returned to businesses and individuals through a new Climate Action Credit for persons with lower incomes ($395 million) and reductions to personal income tax rates ($784 million), the small business income tax rate ($255 million), and the general corporate income tax rate ($415 million).
In addition to the revenue-neutral tax reductions, every British Columbia resident will receive a one-time, $100 Climate Action Dividend to help people adopt greener lifestyles. At a total cost of $440 million, the dividend payments will be issued in June, before the new carbon tax takes effect. It is the government's hope that British Columbians will apply the funds toward purchases that can help reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and, by doing so, the amount of carbon tax they would otherwise pay.
The Finance Minister added this:
As we look back on the legacies of the past, it reminds us that we all have a choice about how future generations will remember us. I hope we will be remembered as the generation that took action, that showed respect for the environment, who set the foundation for a strong economy, and built a legacy to be proud of.
Will there come a day when the US federal government speaks in like manner?
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BS !
I think I'll go buy 1 single tank of Gas with my $100 dollar rebate and peel out gravel all over the car of Gordon Campbell.
This tax is bullshit. This government is bankrupting the province with mismanagement and the olympics. Pretty soon we'll be paying more for Gas per liter, already $1.48 here in Vancouver, than small European countries that have no fossil fuels.
I find it amazing that a country that is in the top 5 of oil producing countries in the world sees fit to milk its population with taxes on fuel that is ours. And then pretend like their doing it in the name of the Environment. If they wanted me to buy a fuel efficient car...they'd mandate that that all cars have :
Stop Start Feature for stop lights
8-10% savings
Cylinder De-Activation (hemi and honda v-6 have done so)
2-5% savings
7 speed automatic transmissions
10% savings
Diesel PowerTrain
25-30% savings
Hybrid powertrain
20-30% savings
CVT Transmissions
5-10% savings
Direct Injection Engine Technology
10-13% savings
Lower Drag Coefficient on the vehicle
5-15% depending on vehicle
Forcing the Automakers to incorporate these features into ALL vehicles makes more sense than taxing the living hell out of everybody to try and change their habits.
Also why do they raise prices for public transit when they are trying to encourage people to use it more instead of driving their cars ? B.C.'s government needs to be removed before they do any more damage.
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