Table:
|  | Years ended December31 |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| (In millions of dollars, except tax rates) | 2019 | 2018 |
| Statutory income tax rate | 26.7% | 26.7% |
| Income before income tax expense | 2,755 | 2,817 |
| Computed income tax expense | 736 | 752 |
| Increase (decrease) in income tax expense resulting from: |  |  |
| Non-deductible stock-based compensation | – | 5 |
| Non-deductible portion of equity losses | 7 | 1 |
| Income tax adjustment, legislative tax change | (23) | - |
| Non-taxable portion of capital gains | (2) | (9) |
| Other items | (6) | 9 |
| Total income tax expense | 712 | 758 |
| Effective income tax rate | 25.8% | 26.9% |
| Cash income taxes paid | 400 | 370 |
Paragraphs:
INCOME TAX EXPENSE
Below is a summary of the difference between income tax expense computed by applying the statutory income tax rate to income before income tax expense and the actual income tax expense for the year.
Our effective income tax rate this year was 25.8% compared to 26.9% for 2018. The effective income tax rate for 2019 was lower than the statutory tax rate primarily as a result of a reduction to the Alberta corporate income tax rate over a four-year period.
Cash income taxes paid increased this year primarily as a result of the timing of installment payments.
Question:
What was the percentage increase / (decrease) in Total income tax expense from 2018 to 2019?
Answer: 712 / 758 - 1 = -6.07