AG - Sunday, April 18, 1982 - North Shore News BEE editorial page Big is beautiful Last week's announcement by the pro- vincial government that its 1982 revenue- sharing grants to municipalities would be cut by 39% — down to $99 million compared to the 1981 total of $162 million — is a prime example of power politics in a federation with three levels of government. True, the cutbacks have been offset to some extent by relieving municipalities of welfare costs. Even after taking that into account, however, there will be a net bot- tom-line loss of between $1.8 million and $2 million this year to the three North Shore municipalities — with West Van, clobbered for a net $830,000 or $75 per average house- hold, the worst sufferer. Manicipalities now have to make the tough choice between raising property taxes or c services. Meanwhile, the millions saved by Victoria will go towards making the senior government look good by contributing to the balanced provincial budget — generally popular because it imposes no general tax increases. Whether or not Premier Bennett calls an early vote, it ranks as a sound “election” budget. People vote against taxes. The Ottawa government — which is cutting back sharply on federal grants to provinces in an effort to get its own house into better shape — knows that. So it’s only a matter of political logic for Victoria, in turn, to pass some of the heat down to the junior government level. That, unfortunately, is where the buck stops. Municipalities are once more left to take the flak locally, either for demanding still more money from the homeowner or for servicing him less. In politics big is beautiful! Saved by H.M. North Van businessman Gordon Craig's bid for an injunction to stop the Queen from proclaiming the constitution failed Friday, not because his legal arguments were rejected but merely because the Federal Court has no jurisdiction to order an injunc- tion against Her Majesty. Saved from a Patriation Day fiasco by a royal technicality, Prime Minister Trudeau may at last be pondering the advantages of a monarchy over a republic. 10eR VETTE OF PRET TO arED WEB? VARUEWER sunday. Display Advertising Classified Advertising Newsroom 980-0511 986-6222 985-2131 866 1337 north shore news 1139 Lonsdale Ave North Vancouver BC V7M 2H4 Circutation Publisher Potor Syed b Asosociate Publisher faotort Caratiarny Editor in Chiet Noel Wrgtt Advortising Otrectur forve Coan dwetl General Manago: Croative Administration & Personnel Otroctor Mrs Berne | 4ithaarc Torry b reapec is Circutation Director Production Directo: tSrnan AE ths Bae bh Sotcor vert rc acatve North Shore News founded TOU an aps micdesprerredest o aeraerecsut y tres we seg peng rere asrved cpeaaatifierdd cacvcdere oc Prerctuates MM fart UW bam aggeagats Woot tte tacine Tan Aol os pulbtinhed each Wednesday and Satay Uy North Store Free Prenmn tt oan cfietetbaitedd too ervey choc on the Nee tt: Shore Second (dann Mall Mogint ation Numer 146° Entire contents 1962 North Shore fFroe Presa ltd All rights reserved Svestoeee ripstscnim Meth anit West vain creer $u701 peeve pera Martha raten available one consent Ne Fargas sab ait, ee . fete eee nattecal hoe Bee Hey epvamr ve ete rigahs ape) pre bien ewlie Patera fees coetyg ewe cbeoed bey ry cL emerag vere atch one) ocwuti ape VERIO cae tH AT HON 43 908 Wedneeday %3 484 Sunday <> se & THIS PAPER IS RECYCLABLE Awful truth about taxation By MICHAEL A. WALKER While April usually ushers in Spring, it also brings with it one of the most despised days of the year — income tax day. However, income taxes represent by far the smallest portion of individual taxes. In 1980 the average British Columbia family paid in- come tax of about $3,200.00 whereas its total taxes amounted to $9,750.00. In other words, income tax represents less than on-third of the total tax bills Canadians face. The rest is siphoned off by government via some 51 different taxes which, in their ingenuity. governments have developed over the last several decades. One that always surpmses people is the amount of taxation government’ ex- tracts in the price of a bottle of liquor. Recent calculations show that on the average, distillers receive $2.03 on a bottle of booze of average quality for which the customer pays $10. The difference is made up by federal] excise tax of $1.93, federal sales tax of 48¢, a markup for the Liquor Control Board of about $4.65 and provincial sales tax of 91¢. The total comes to $10 per bottle. A similarly tragic tale can be told about gasoline. In an average price per litre of 38.5¢ a Wancouverite pays 23.4¢ in taxes. In other words, 60.8 per cent of the pump pnice of gasoline ts taxes levied by varnous levels A ROYAL MENU enyoyed Fnday by two North was Shore students invited to dine with the Queen in Ottawa Former Argyle ite Mark Kyall, 19. now at Simon Fraser, and 18 year old Grade 12. Hillsider Roben Johnson were among several hundred “young achhevers” from across the nabon presented to Her Majesty as torch bearers of Canada’s future Mark. nominated for the banquet by North Van Burnaby MP Chuck Cook, 1s winner of a Gordon Shrum Scholarship and the Governor General's Bronze Medal for the second bighest marks in the province, with a basketball scholarship thrown in for good = measure Robert, named the best all round student at the school and chosen for Capilano mding by MP Roa Huntington, 15 an award winning debater a school tenants Coach and last year qualified for bas pilots liscace Phcy fly back home today orneoh in memornes to roe onan to thetr grand Patnation Day on Parhament ball children about Pover rising gasoline priccs ate spurring tatecrest in widespread alternative cifictent methods of keeping your wheels turning aad mere and two local business cn arc eight ta Chere on the Kile mane fla vcoe of government. Those taxes include provincial fuel tax, urban transit tax, royalties and taxes paid to Canadian governments by Canadian producers of crude oil; as well as federal taxes and charges. Not included are the profits taxes paid by the oil company nor property taxes and others paid by the retailers who actually sell the gasoline. The position of British Columbians relative to other Canadians has, however, been rather fortunate in the last few years. Currently British Columbians pay close to 27.6 per cent of their income before tax to various governments. In Quebec, that percentage is 31.9 per cent. Residents of all provinces are left to simply envy Albertans whose gross tax rate amounted to only 21.6 per cent in the most recent year. There are some interesting variations in the kinds of taxes which citizens in various provinces pay. For example, the average Manitoban pays more property tax than any other citizen in the country whereas Newfoundlanders are almost completely spared this affliction. However, Newfoundiand has the distinction of being the province where tax- payers pay more sales tax than in any other province in the country — fully 20 per cent of all the taxes collected there accrue in the form of sales tax revenues. Income tax is most heavily relied upon in Quebec — in that province nearly 37 per cent of total revenue ts collected in the form of income tax. The natural question which arises is “Are we getting our money's worth?” Since taxes are, in effect, the price we pay for govern- ment, we are entitled to ask whether or not we = are getting value for money and, since we now pay a higher fraction of our income on taxes than we do for shelter and food, this question is very pressing indeed. By how much are you prepared to see your tax bill increase in the future? It's worth thinking about. (Dr. Walker is Director of the Vancouver-based Fraser Insturtute.) I'M SORRY BUT THE PRIME MINISTER IS ENGAGED WITH PREPARATIONS IN THE EVENT BRITAIN GOES TO WAR sunday brunch by Noel Wright Last Thursday Jeffrey Weinbren and Frank Quigg launched their propane conversion opc¢cration Future Puels Inc at 267 Pemberton Avenuc, North Van. Using a patented. all Canadian system (Fucicon), they're now in business to convert all types of vehicles to run on propanc, with a complete package including tanks, carburetor modification and dispensing equipment. You can cven have it both ways with a “dual fucl” installation that permits the use of cither propanc or gasohne (just in case the OPEC cartel collapses completely onc fine day) Sounds a whole lot cleancr and sweeter than dinving around oom sasstankful oof manure which I'm told 1s also proctcable given the night hardware Aldcrman Frank Marcino, charman of North Van Ciys 75th Jubilee Com mittee ts looking = for resedcats who ve hved in the City sance 1907, or who were born there mi that) year or carher He's already found haloa oo doren of | these ullumate proncera, to be honercd dunng dhe Citys th birthday cclcebratems May 415) but he believes there may be quite a lew mon If you qualify on know of seamcome who docs call Frank at 987-6252 or Mayor Jack Loucks’ secretary al 98S 7761 “Double mw won't Mecessarnly mean youre ordenny a second beer this month at the North Van Legion, says Marc Howard. Instead, the moncy will be going. as often as not, to the Apnl Cancer Fund Cam paign, for which Marc 1s North Shore publicity chairman. If cvery other local bar latched on to this neat “double ut for cancer” gimmick, a happy Marc and has faithful army of Cancer Pund = collectors would probably be out of a yob within days How about tt. all you North Shore restaurantcurs and pubkecpcr 7 HITHER AND YON; North Van author astrologer Geof Gray-Cobb (the hairy faced once on CBC TV's psychi pancl show “Beyond Reason”) and arast wife Marya arc swapping the Tarot cards for credit cards Phacy've bought the Silver lip Motel in Revelstoke and arc) looking forward to hosting old (nends and fans vacationing tna Uhas those parts Pind out foace again’) whats geonnag to happen to the cconomy Tuesday April 27.) when Richard Mc Alary addresacs SuUMmMcT Ww. the annual mecung of the North Shore Community Credit Umon - he’s chief economist) for the B.C Central Credit Umon and an internationally respected author and commentator on “the dismal = science” Artwork for the happy cover on the annual report of the United Way's North Shore Invision, depicting = three smiling semor citizens, was donated by well-known West Van artist Daniel Izzard (but io't oatoa bit) chauvinist, Daniel? | mean, two males and only one. femalc) Happy job -well—done lady 1s West Van's Nancy Fartey, coordinator of Tiddlycove's recent and highly successful Civic Ball. It netted $2,700. which ts being split cqually between the West Van Arts Council and the West Van Band Association Nancy. incidcntially, might be abic to offer some ups to Rath Meck who's presently working mght and day as chairman of North Vao Communatty Arts Council's Horttage Ball commiticc the glittenng May 8 bash that launches North Van City’s week dong 75th bu thday) celcbrations And while we're on the subycct Bob Speacer of the North Van Lions Club ts looking for Noats and catnes in the giant) birthday = parade Saturday, May 15s call him at 980 3570 for details WRIGHT OR WRONG, Its not the things you dont hnow that get you ints les the things you think you haow for sarc trowble