Winnipeg Mayoral Election

[Mark H.]

Not a bad article, except for Broadbeck's need to add a little more of his own spin.  The MB. PST is pretty consistent with PST rates across the country.

 

If you look at the big picture, governments of all political stripes raise taxes.  Mulroney called Harper's GST cut "good politics but bad policy."

[The Unknown Poster]

My take on Harper cutting the GST is this: I'd rather we keep it for how little I notice it.  But he made a promise and stuck by it.  The NDP promised not to raise the PST and then did so, violating the law.  When they realised it was illegal, they changed the law.  They took over government with a balanced budget.  Federal transfer payments and tax revenue increased substantially under the NDP and yet they could never balance the books.  Oh they pretended to for a few years, raiding Hydro profits to create a fake balance.  Then they stopped predenting and changed the law again so they could run deficits.

 

I wouldnt have a problem with the PST increase if I thought the NDP were doing everything they could to limit spending and provide good service. They arent. 

 

Judy really does come across as a dimwit.  Steeves does too though so she is in good company.  Steeves is a lawyer but when I met him he didnt seem like a very good one.  I would certainly never hire him.  Judy cant give a straight answer that hasnt been given to her by her handlers.  Does she really not realise that her admitted 3% tax increase amounts to 12% over four years?  REALLY??

 

This election sort of remind me of a campaign idea I have for the next provincial election.  In my riding, our MLA is Dave Gaudrea and Im tempted to run against him.  Except I wont put my name forth - my campaign will be based on "Anyone But Dave".  Im leaning towards for Bowman because I like more of his ideas than anyone elses.  And while I doesnt wow me, he also doesnt disgust me so he gets my vote.

[Mark H.]

My take on Harper cutting the GST is this: I'd rather we keep it for how little I notice it.  But he made a promise and stuck by it.  The NDP promised not to raise the PST and then did so, violating the law.  When they realised it was illegal, they changed the law.  They took over government with a balanced budget.  Federal transfer payments and tax revenue increased substantially under the NDP and yet they could never balance the books.  Oh they pretended to for a few years, raiding Hydro profits to create a fake balance.  Then they stopped predenting and changed the law again so they could run deficits.

 

I wouldnt have a problem with the PST increase if I thought the NDP were doing everything they could to limit spending and provide good service. They arent. 

 

Just some facts:

 

Since 2005-2006, federal transfer payments to Manitoba have increased by 641 million.  http://www.fin.gc.ca/fedprov/mtp-eng.asp#Manitoba

Going back to 1999, it's about a billion.  As a percentage of overall government revenue they have dropped from over 40% to less than 30%.

 

This is consistent with what is happening across the country.

[Fraser]

It's actually more than 12 % when you factor in compounding

[sweep the leg]

Cutting the GST rate by 5% was their way to justify future spending cuts. Most people wouldn't support spending cuts on government programs if the books were balanced. As a result, they dropped the GST. When gov't revenues became too low to support their obligations, they had their reason to begin slashing spending.

[RagingIce]

It's actually more than 12 % when you factor in compounding

Well it is broadbeck after all. How this guy still has a job is beyond me.

[RagingIce]

 

Taxes are a neccesary evil.  But the socialist method of throwing money at everything and financing everything through taxes is not the way.  I have no issue with a tax increase but when politicans tell me we "need" it while mis-managing current revenue, thats BS.  This falls on the province a lot too.  Winnipeg doesnt get its fair share of tax dollars.  I guess the good thing about a Judy win and the NDP fighting for their lives is, we will get lots of new shiny things.  Ofcourse, it will be coming out of our pockets.  And when the PC's win and tighten belts to pay off the NDP debt they will be accused of gutting services.  God forbid a government actually want to balance the budget.

 

 

 

The notion that conservatives are better at balancing budgets is pure bunk. 

http://www.progressive-economics.ca/2011/04/29/fiscal-record-of-canadian-political-parties/

 

You should refrain from making baseless accusations about people (re: NDP puppet). She leans left - that doesn't make her a "puppet"

[The Unknown Poster]

It wasnt Broadbeck's point.  It's Steeves.

 

Also, disagree about lack of support for spending cuts.  Then again Im still waiting to Darth Harper to bring back the death penalty, make abortion illegal, bring in martial law and all other manner of goofball scare tactics the opposition used.  I would love to see him stop funding the CBC and dismantle the CRTC though.

[The Unknown Poster]

 

 

Taxes are a neccesary evil.  But the socialist method of throwing money at everything and financing everything through taxes is not the way.  I have no issue with a tax increase but when politicans tell me we "need" it while mis-managing current revenue, thats BS.  This falls on the province a lot too.  Winnipeg doesnt get its fair share of tax dollars.  I guess the good thing about a Judy win and the NDP fighting for their lives is, we will get lots of new shiny things.  Ofcourse, it will be coming out of our pockets.  And when the PC's win and tighten belts to pay off the NDP debt they will be accused of gutting services.  God forbid a government actually want to balance the budget.

 

 

 

The notion that conservatives are better at balancing budgets is pure bunk. 

http://www.progressive-economics.ca/2011/04/29/fiscal-record-of-canadian-political-parties/

 

You should refrain from making baseless accusations about people (re: NDP puppet). She leans left - that doesn't make her a "puppet"

 

I was remarking on OUR NDP who took over a balanced budget from Filmon. 

 

Also, one could say its baseless to say Judy isnt an NDP puppet.  Ill stick to my perspective.  If you watch her answer questions, she often has no idea what she's talking about.    Leaning left doesnt make her a bad person, just a misguided one.  I keed I keed.  I've actually run the gamut of voting my adult life and have voted for NDP, Liberals and Cons. Sometimes people get far too entrenched in the party rather than the person.

 

Like I said, I dont like everything about Bowman, but I like a lot more than Judy.  I voted for Katz the first time (having disliked him personally since I rented the Ball Park).  By his second run, I was off the Sammy bandwagon.  But last election, who were you going to vote for?  Judy who promised to raise taxes or Sammy who lied about raising taxes?  What actually turned me off Sammy right at the beginning was his broken promise to put the Goldeyes into a blind trust and his arrogance in saying 'so what'?

[RagingIce]

 

 

 

Taxes are a neccesary evil.  But the socialist method of throwing money at everything and financing everything through taxes is not the way.  I have no issue with a tax increase but when politicans tell me we "need" it while mis-managing current revenue, thats BS.  This falls on the province a lot too.  Winnipeg doesnt get its fair share of tax dollars.  I guess the good thing about a Judy win and the NDP fighting for their lives is, we will get lots of new shiny things.  Ofcourse, it will be coming out of our pockets.  And when the PC's win and tighten belts to pay off the NDP debt they will be accused of gutting services.  God forbid a government actually want to balance the budget.

 

 

 

The notion that conservatives are better at balancing budgets is pure bunk. 

http://www.progressive-economics.ca/2011/04/29/fiscal-record-of-canadian-political-parties/

 

You should refrain from making baseless accusations about people (re: NDP puppet). She leans left - that doesn't make her a "puppet"

 

I was remarking on OUR NDP who took over a balanced budget from Filmon. 

 

 

The NDP ran a surplus from '04 to '09, so I disagree that the MB NDP can't balance a budget. I couldn't find data prior to that, so if you have some sources, I would appreciate it. I'm willing to give some leniency about the recent budgets due to the global recession and the fact that Manitoba had two catastrophic floods at the same time. It's not like the federal government is doing any better and they're "conservative".

[Atomic]

The NDP under Doer was actually a good government, IMO. The NDP under Selinger has been an unmitigated disaster. If I had to choose between Katz and Selinger to lead a government, I still choose Katz. He is a sheister but Selinger is a buffoon.

[rebusrankin]

The NDP balanced a budget by taking from the rainy day fund, hydro and riding rising transfer payments.

[RagingIce]

The NDP balanced a budget by taking from the rainy day fund, hydro and riding rising transfer payments.

Hydro is a crown corp - they can't *take* from it because it's already government money. Also as a percentage of our GDP, our transfer payments have been decreasing.

[blueandgoldguy]

 

 

Taxes are a neccesary evil.  But the socialist method of throwing money at everything and financing everything through taxes is not the way.  I have no issue with a tax increase but when politicans tell me we "need" it while mis-managing current revenue, thats BS.  This falls on the province a lot too.  Winnipeg doesnt get its fair share of tax dollars.  I guess the good thing about a Judy win and the NDP fighting for their lives is, we will get lots of new shiny things.  Ofcourse, it will be coming out of our pockets.  And when the PC's win and tighten belts to pay off the NDP debt they will be accused of gutting services.  God forbid a government actually want to balance the budget.

 

 

 

The notion that conservatives are better at balancing budgets is pure bunk. 

http://www.progressive-economics.ca/2011/04/29/fiscal-record-of-canadian-political-parties/

 

You should refrain from making baseless accusations about people (re: NDP puppet). She leans left - that doesn't make her a "puppet"

 

The Filmon government did balance the budget with several surpluses during their reign..all in the face of decreasing federal transfers.  The NDP government (moreso under Selinger) has run deficits for several years even with improved federal transfers (compared to the Filmon government) and a provincial economy that has not been in a recession for 5 years.

 

That's what so disappointing about the current government - running massive deficits at a time of prosperity.  They should be running surpluses to pay down the provincial debt during the good times.  Only when times are bad (recession)should the government be running deficits to stimulate the economy.   

[Mark H.]

There was a recession...the feds chose to run a deficit and keep transfer payments intact.  

 

What happened in the 90's wasn't really a recession, it was Paul Martin balancing the federal budget on the backs of the provinces.

[The Unknown Poster]

Exactly. The NDP didn't truly balance a budget when they robbed hydro.

There certainly was a difference between doer and Selinger though.

[iso_55]

 

Having Judy running the city with Selinger running the province scares the heck out of me. Stuff like this makes me wish I was closer to retirement so I could leave the province.

I don't know what job you have, but it's never too late to leave.

Tons of jobs out west.

 

Some people just can't leave with family & job commitments so no need for the flippant answer. I was able to move to Calgary in 1990 when a very good job in the insurance industry was offered to me.. But I was 35 & willing to take a chance. My wife & I felt the timing was right so we left. It was hard leaving family & friends behind but we did it. It wasn't easy. 

[RagingIce]

Exactly. The NDP didn't truly balance a budget when they robbed hydro.

There certainly was a difference between doer and Selinger though.

How does one rob one's self? Is Harper robbing the CBC to balance the budget?

[rebusrankin]

 

The NDP balanced a budget by taking from the rainy day fund, hydro and riding rising transfer payments.

Hydro is a crown corp - they can't *take* from it because it's already government money. Also as a percentage of our GDP, our transfer payments have been decreasing.

 

Actually a Crown Corp is arms length, not another place where the government can take $ out of, although the NDP did so. Look at what transfer payments were and what they are now, the NDP has taken advantage of getting more $ from the Feds.

[The Unknown Poster]

Exactly. The NDP didn't truly balance a budget when they robbed hydro.

There certainly was a difference between doer and Selinger though.

How does one rob one's self? Is Harper robbing the CBC to balance the budget?

I'm quite certain you understand the point. I guess if you believe hydro shouldn't operate independently of the provincial government in an effort to best serve rate payers then your perspective would be that their revenue should go into the governments pocket. Many of us feel differently.

[RagingIce]

 

 

The NDP balanced a budget by taking from the rainy day fund, hydro and riding rising transfer payments.

Hydro is a crown corp - they can't *take* from it because it's already government money. Also as a percentage of our GDP, our transfer payments have been decreasing.

 

Actually a Crown Corp is arms length, not another place where the government can take $ out of, although the NDP did so. Look at what transfer payments were and what they are now, the NDP has taken advantage of getting more $ from the Feds.

 

 

Of course the government can take funds from crown corps - they do it all the time. What do you think a budget cut is? Also equalization payments have been decreasing per capita - meaning Manitoba's population has increased and equalization payments have remained around the same:

[rebusrankin]

Budget cut is when you cut the amount of money a government department receives. It is not a cut when you take $ out of a Crown Corp. But by your logic, Autopact should raise it rates and then give the extra money to the Province.

[RagingIce]

Budget cut is when you cut the amount of money a government department receives. It is not a cut when you take $ out of a Crown Corp. But by your logic, Autopact should raise it rates and then give the extra money to the Province.

The difference is little - the surplus from one year goes into the budget the next year. It's taking it from the bottom line as opposed to the top line. And yes - raising autopac rates would effectively be a tax increase.

[The Unknown Poster]

If a crown corp makes a profit that profit should be used to the benefit of the business. If the business does not need the profit then rates should be dropped. By raiding Hydro profits the NDP create a situation that puts rate payers at risk.

I realize no one will convince a person who supports the NDP way of doing things. It's a difference in vision.

[Goalie]

Went to vote at the advanced poles about an hour and a half ago, Bowman it is and judging by the chatter of most the people at the poles, i'd say bowman has a pretty good chance to take it. Not sure if people want Judy in there, Funny cuz this area is filled with NDP signs for city councilor but more bowman than judy mayor sign tho.

 

I find that interesting, tons upon tons of ndp city councillor signs but way more bowman for mayor signs than Judy signs.

 

Same houses too, you see a  bowman sign and the NDP city councillor sign on the same yard. It's interesting.

 

Think what it's saying to me is most people in this area want change.