British Columbians are willing to pay more taxes

A recent study commissioned by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives shows that the majority of British Columbians would agree to tax increases to support public programs that better the quality of life.

 

A hefty majority of respondents to the Environics Research poll (78 percent) said people in the top 20 percent of incomes pay less tax that they should, and 63 percent say much less than they should.

 

Major corporations are asked to pay less tax than they should, according to 67 percent of respondents.

57 percent of respondents said those making $100,000 and over should pay more, and nearly a third thought the threshold for tax increases should be $85,000.

 

Most British Columbians (71 percent) said they paid too much tax, but when given a list of 11 different policy changes, 68 percent said they'd pay more to support four or more of the 11 policies.

 

The policies included items such as "provide more access to home and community care for seniors," "create a $10/day child care program," "protect BC's forests and endangered species," and "eliminate Medical Services Plan premiums."

 

Low trust in government and politicians curbs people's willingness to consider tax iancreases, noted the CCPA release, but the poll indicated there are steps governments can take to regain the public's confidence — among them, making government more open and transparent (83 percent said that would increase confidence), creating more opportunjties for citizens to have a say (76 percent), and making public services more accessible to everyone (75 percent).

 

"We've had this idea that tax increases are a no-go zone in BC," says Shannon Daub, Director of Communication with the CCPA's BC office. "But public opinion is shifting, and if anything our political leaders are behind the curbe. Not only do most British Columbians want to see tax increases at the higher end of the income ladder, they are prepared to pitch in themselves – -if they know the money will support concrete changes, and if we do tax policy in a transparent way."