Friday, April 1, 2011

Yes, By All Means, Eliminate the Voter Tax

PM Stephen Harper has promised a Conservative majority would move to gradually eliminate the voter subsidy.
OTTAWA — A majority Conservative government would turn off the per-vote subsidy tap, saving taxpayers nearly $30 million a year, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Friday.
Harper said it’s time for political parties to be weaned off taxpayer dependence and raise money on their own without drinking from the public trough.
In 2010, political parties sucked $27 million from public coffers. The Conservatives received the most ($10.4 million), followed by the Liberals ($7.3 million), NDP ($5 million) and the separatist Bloc ($2.8 million).
Taxpayers handed $1.9 million to the Green Party and it has no seats in Parliament.
In 2008, the Harper Conservatives planned to end the subsidy, but that sent the opposition parties into a frenzy and sparked the coalition partnership between the Liberals, Bloc and NDP.
Parties are eligible for the subsidy, provided they win at least 2% of the national popular vote.
I agree. Why should we be forced to donate to parties that we don't agree with?  It simply isn't fair. Political parties should learn to fund raise on their own. Sink or swim. Above all why should we be forced to fund a party that that hates the ROC and want's to separate? 

If we want to this tax to end we have to vote for a Conservative majority government on voting day.