Premier Scott Moe’s criticism of the NDP’s election promises for tax cuts is ironic.
One gets why New Democratic Party supporters may be somewhat peeved that Premier Scott Moe is now feasting on the NDP’s “irresponsible” tax cut promises.
The irony here knows few bounds.
“I’d ask how we’re going to pay for it,” Moe told reporters in Lloydminster late last week, referring to the NDP promise to immediately forego the province’s 15-cents-a-litre gas tax for six months.
Moe further wondered aloud about how narrowing the base of the provincial sales tax by removing pre-made grocery items like rotisserie chicken or children’s clothing would hurt provincial coffers.
“They still haven’t explained how they’re going to pay for it,” Moe said. “That’s the question that they need to answer. And I haven’t heard an answer yet.”
The Sask. Party leader is right that voters deserve a concrete costing of all promises from all parties — something parties don’t provide this early (and seldom provide thoroughly when they do).
That said, the first irony in Moe’s criticism is that Beck has actually refrained from making big-ticket tax reduction promises — something the Sask. Party government has long advocated.
Instead, Beck is betting voters will pay close enough attention to the taxation politics in this campaign to appreciate her subtle tweaking of tax policy and weigh it against what Moe and the Sask. Party have provided.
But, again, herein lies more irony.
It was the 2017 Sask. Party government under former premier Brad Wall that raised the PST to six per cent from its five-per-cent level under the NDP. It also then broadened the sales tax to include restaurant meals and snack foods. And it was under Moe’s tenure that the PST was further broadened to include tickets for concerts, theatres and professional sporting events.
Of course, the Sask. Party might argue that its tax policy has been about better choices. However, those choices also represent high taxes and growing debt.
Here comes more irony.
Moe’s remarks essentially suggesting the NDP are being fiscally irresponsible came mere days after a partisan-but-otherwise-pointless press conference by Trade and Export Minister Jeremy Harrison, again telling us the Saskatchewan economy is booming. Yet we can’t afford tax cuts? No boom?
Maybe private industry in Saskatchewan is thriving, but unfortunately, the same can’t be said about the government’s books.
So the big irony is that we can’t afford any tax cuts Harpauer calls foolhardy (even the government continually hints we should be able to afford them because of the booming economy), because past Sask. Party government spending and tax policy choices (income tax cuts or the education property tax cut on agricultural land) have skyrocketed the provincial debt.
But here comes the final irony: Might the Sask. Party promise more campaign tax cuts anyway?
One final, at-least-potential irony.
It would be hypocritical and cynical to do so, but the door is even open for Moe and the Sask. Party to beat the NDP to the punch and drop the PST to five per cent. Don’t assume the Sask. Party wouldn’t do something eye-catching like this if they felt they were behind in the polls.
After all, irony is seldom a limiting factor in politics.
Mandryk is the political columnist for the Regina Leader-Post and the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.
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