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PEI government should invest extra revenue in public services

Taxes are used to provide a better standard of living and quality of life for everyone, says Debbie Bovyer, PEIUPSE President.

Charlottetown (09 Jan. 2014) – The President of the PEI Union of Public Sector Employees (PEIUPSE/NUPGE), Debbie Bovyer, says “Minister Wes Sheridan’s stance on refusing to increase the basic personal income tax exemption will bring more money into the province’s coffers, and should be used to adequately fund public services for Islanders.”

The PEI Minister of Finance has refused to increase the basic personal tax exemptions which has remained unchanged since 2008. Organizations such as the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) are arguing that this is a back door tax increase since the exemption does not rise with inflation which means the province is bringing in more tax revenue.

PEIUPSE wants to ensure the increased revenue is targeted to improve public services for Islanders.

Any additional revenue should fund public services, says PEIUPSE/NUPGE

Debbie Bovyer says “the province has an obligation to fund public services on Prince Edward Island.” She points out that the government has cut approximately 600 positions during their current mandate. The largest cuts were made to casual workers in the Department of Transportation. Other cuts also affected social workers, youth workers, liquor control commission workers, property guards, librarians, and workers in the Department of Environment. 

“Using our tax dollars to better fund public services will benefit all Islanders, especially those in low income brackets,” says Bovyer.  “Public services are the great equalizer.  They are accessible to all Canadians regardless of their social or economic status.  However, access to health care, education and a clean environment must never be taken for granted - they require funding and we collectively pay for these services through our taxes.”

Connection between taxes and public services important for all to remember

President Bovyer adds that “over the years organizations like the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) have tried to convince people that taxes are bad. They don’t want to remind people about the connection between our taxes and the services we receive. They don’t want to remind people that our taxes are used to provide a better standard of living and quality of life for us all.”                        

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE