$200 Billion questions
The Wildrose Party of Alberta has released their first election promise today and it was a doozy. beyond the balanced budget, which is a GREAT idea… they are proposing to build the Heritage Savings Trust fund to $200 Billion in 20 years. Yes, that’s $200 BILLION.
The trust fund today stand just over $15 Billion, so to get to the magical number of $200 Billion, that means a Wildrose Government would have to save an additional $9.25 Billion per year for the next 20 years running. Complicating that, they are suggesting they would only invest HALF of a government surplus every year, so in other words a Wildrose Government would need to run a $18 BILLION SURPLUS each year to achieve this.
I LOVE a balanced budget, it’s a mainstay of the Alberta Party platform. So is adding to the Province’s savings. But to take the budget today, which is still in a deficit, and suggest that we would magically get to a $18 Billion surplus, would require a herculean, if not barbaric cost slashing exercise. Frankly, it’s ridiculous. (Not to mention how CRAZY it is to suggest we even SHOULD. What kind of “Conservative” Government wouldn’t return such a healthy surplus to it’s people instead?)
I agree with a balanced budget, I agree with padding our savings. But HOW WILL the Wildrose Alliance remove $18 Billion a year from our budget, without raising taxes?
SHE WON’T. She’s bullshitting.
Oh.. and I just did the math. Based on the 2011/12 budget assumptions, a $1.00 change in the price of oil has a $141M positive impact in the Alberta budget. So, for the Wildrose Alliance to get to their $18B surplus, they would need to see a $223 per barrel price of oil.
Co-Founder of two beautiful daughters and 