Alberta Business Tax Review Report And Recommendations

The days of buoyant capital investment, jobs, and wealth are passing Alberta by as the boom-and-bust cycle runs its course and the global climate crisis becomes more acute. As the province scrambles to boost the dying oil economy and curb spending, one solution is all but ignored—a sales tax. In this collection, Alberta scholars and policy experts map out why and how a provincial sales tax can and should be implemented. They examine energy revenues, household incomes, and political support as well as opportunities for improving democracy and reducing the volatility of government revenues. Finally, this volume offers recommendations on structuring a consultative review process to improve Alberta’s long-term fiscal sustainability. Contributions by Ergete Ferede, Ian Glassford, Kenneth J. McKenzie, Melville McMillan, Elizabeth Smythe, and Graham Thomson.

This Inventory is concerned with direct budgetary transfers and tax expenditures that relate to fossil fuels, regardless of their impact or of the purpose for which the measures were first put in place.

This Handbook explores and explains new developments in the _second generation‘ theory of public finance, in which benevolent rulers and governments have been replaced by personally motivated politicians and the associated institutions. Following a com

Canada: State of the Federation, 1999–2000 identifies and explains major threads in Canadian fiscal federalism. Set against the cacophony over domineering and arrogant centralization from supporters of Quebec sovereignty/session on the one hand, and fears that excessive decentralization is fuelling an obsessively neo-liberal agenda on the other, these essays replace much of this heat with new light. The authors begin with an examination of recent developments in the theoretical literature surrounding fiscal federalism. They then examine some of the major issues facing the federation – Is there a vertical imbalance between federal and provincial governments? Does Ottawa collect more revenues than are needed relative to its spending responsibilities while the provinces are under-funded? How do federal-provincial struggles over money and jurisdictional power affect local government or the para-public sector, emerging aboriginal governments, and citizens? Federal government actions in 1999 suggest that Ottawa has not lost all of its interest in social outcomes. It is, however, seeking to influence the well-being of citizens by transferring money to them directly rather than through transfers to provinces. The authors suggest that if this trend continues the approach to the millennium will be seen as a watershed in public policy, given that current trends in Canadian fiscal federalism are as much about re-balancing the federation as they are about decentralization.

A political and economic analysis of the history of working people in Alberta.

Given the importance of resources to the economies of some provinces and the impact of high prices for oil and gas in particular, this issue has direct bearing not only on the Equalization pro- gram but on the potential for resource revenues to increase disparities among provinces. [...] Specifically, the Expert Panel was asked to provide advice to the Government of Canada on:1 • The allocation among the provinces of the annual Equalization allotment set in legislation is to be evidence-based and derived from a formula, including consideration of: • The current Representative Tax System (RTS) approach • The treatment of various provincial and local revenue sources, such The Panel' [...] A list of those who participated in the consultation process is includ- ed in Annex 1. The result is a thorough and comprehensive review of Canada's Equalization program, a sound analysis of the implications of different options and ideas, and a clear understanding of the various positions and ideas put forward by the federal government, provincial governments, and interested individuals. [...] For the purposes of this report, we'll only highlight the origins of the program and some of the major changes that have taken place leading up to the present day. [...] With a 10-province standard in place, the impact on Equalization was to drive up the national average and the costs to the federal government of providing Equalization grants to receiving provinces.