Article Summary
Cost Shift: How British Columbians are Paying for Their Tax Cut
Report by Sylvia Fuller, Lindsay StephenAs Sylvia Fuller and Lindsay Stephens describe in Cost Shift: How British Columbians are Paying for Their Tax Cut, the first order of business for the newly elected Liberal government in BC was a massive tax cut. According to Fuller and Stephens, the cuts have left a massive gap in government revenue. The authors argue this revenue gap, in tandem with the Liberals’ campaign promise to produce a balanced budget by 2004-05, has necessitated spending cuts to a number of programs. In addition to these cuts, Fuller and Stephens claim the government has engaged in ‘cost-shifting,’ transferring the expense of various services and programs from the public to individuals, families and employers.
The authors highlight a number of areas where major costs have been shifted away from the government: de-listed health services; higher drug costs; higher post-secondary expenses; higher childcare costs; and, increased sales and municipal taxes. They then construct nine profiles of British Columbians – individuals, families, and employers –to examine the effects of cost-shifting. Fuller and Stephens conclude the result of the tax cuts has been unequal, benefiting the most affluent British Columbians while increasing the burden on the middle class and the poor.
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Policy Publication Details
| Author(s): | Sylvia Fuller; Lindsay Stephen; | ||
| Publisher: | Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives [ Visit Website ] | ||
| Year Published: | 2002; | Publisher Type: | Research Institute |
| Publicly Available: | Yes | Research Focus: | Provincial; |
| Registration Required: | No | Language: | English |
| Payment Required: | No | Publication Format: | Adobe PDF |
Subjects / Categories:
Policy Articles / Fiscal & Budgetary / Tax Policy
Policy Articles / Fiscal & Budgetary / Federal & Provincial Budget
Policy Articles / Fiscal & Budgetary
Policy Articles / Welfare & Social Issues
Policy Articles / Fiscal & Budgetary / Federal & Provincial Budget / 2002
Policy Articles / Fiscal & Budgetary / Tax Policy / 2002
Policy Articles / Welfare & Social Issues / Inequality
Policy Articles / Welfare & Social Issues / Inequality / 2002
Keywords / Tags:
tax cuts; funding; revenue; 'cost-shifting'; inequality; affluence; provincial budget; health services; drug costs; post-secondary expenses; childcare costs;