We also doubt the capability of the BC Liberals to fulfill their commitment to reduce income taxes in the first 90 days, when they will not have had an opportunity to fully assess the state of BC's books. Implementation of these kinds of policies at a federal and provincial level must be seen as a basic failure to understand the need to increase funding to health, education and social programs as a means to maintain equality of access and opportunity for all citizens. Time and time again what polls have shown is that Canadians and British Columbians do not want their taxes reduced at the expense of ongoing funding to basic government services. What they do want is to see greater fiscal accountability for how monies are spent and for spending to take into account the need to further protect the natural environment. Green MLAs would be committed to balanced budget legislation and paying down the debt, as a long term means to freeing up taxpayers' dollars on kindergarten to post-secondary education.
Education is one of the three pillars around which modern government has been built.
Green MLAs would therefore oppose any general reduction in taxation, while favouring tax shifting that would make the system fairer and open to promoting sustainable societal practices. In this way and this way only do we believe Green MLAs could fulfill the commitment made in Green party education policies. As already noted in 1 above, Green MLAs are committed to increasing base level funding at all post-secondary institutions at a level that would be adjusted for institutional inflationary costs. Those who do not spend all allotted funds should not be penalized or forced to spend monies needlessly. Subsequently as student demand shifts from various courses and programs, funds could then be made available to try new educational areas within these same departments, rather than simply strait-jacketting them to offer the same courses year in and year out.