Dear Editor:
So, the B.C. Liberals produced a balanced budget. Accordingly to the premier, it's a feat that might not be equalled by any other province this year. Makes you proud, does it not? I mean, who would have thought they could achieve something that you and I do as a matter of course every year with our household budgets? It's a simple equation really: don't spend more than you can afford.
How's the provincial debt, you ask? Well, sorry to say not so good. It isn't going down.In fact, it has increased to a staggering $61 billion and climbing. The good news is they're going to use the current $879-million budget surplus to pay some of it off. The bad news is they're planning to borrow another $14.2 billion over the next three years.
Why borrow more money? Well, partly to build transportation infrastructure, which, according to government and business leaders, helps grow the economy. I don't know about you, but I don't recall seeing much economic growth as a result of past bridge twinning or perimeter road building, so I have to wonder about that. Couldn't we just save up surpluses in a capital expenditure fund instead of borrowing? Isn't that what the City of Burnaby does?
But the bottom line is we elected these guys in the belief they could manage our finances better than the other guys. So, if it hasn't turned out that way, we have no one to blame but ourselves. It's our own fault. And, as you know - not to put too fine a point on it - we all have to pay for our mistakes.
Oh, my, how we will pay.
Bill Brassington Sr., Burnaby
