Grits give off air of nervousness over Horgan’s pledges

John Horgan’s spending tsunami continued unabated on the second day of the election campaign, this time with a promised $400-a-year renters grant to help tapped-out tenants.

“Help is on the way,” Horgan said Wednesday, vowing to throw a lifeline to tenants who have watched their rents and other costs of living skyrocket faster than their paycheques.

Spread out over the course of a year, $400 would buy a couple of pizzas every month — hardly enough to change anyone’s standard of living.

But Horgan pointed out that it’s more than Liberal Leader Christy Clark is offering.

“This is 400 bucks of hope for people who don’t have any from the B.C. Liberals,” he said.

The Liberals were quick to mock the promise, especially after Horgan refused to provide a total cost of the program (that will be revealed Thursday) and stumbled over whether the grant would be taxable or not (at first he said it would be, then later clarified it would be tax free.)

Mock as they might, I think the Liberals are getting a little nervous about all the juicy goodies Horgan is dangling in front of voters.

The cash-in-your-claw for renters is just the latest pricey promise from the NDP leader. He also promised to eliminate tolls on the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges, freeze B.C. Hydro rates and bring in $10-a-day child care.

Clark seems particularly sensitive about the tolls since she promised to cap the bridge tolls at $500 a year for drivers, only to see Horgan oneup her and promise to scrap them completely.

Clark said that means residents outside Metro Vancouver would effectively pay the cost of new bridges being used by city slickers.

Horgan fired right back at her on Wednesday.

“Christy Clark is just trying to make mischief while she continues to defend an unfair toll on one group of people,” he said.

Then he pointed out there are no tolls on Kelowna’s $144-million Bill Bennett Bridge across Okanagan Lake — and Clark has proposed another bridge over the same body of water.

Which riding does Clark represent in the legislature? Kelowna, of course! So it’s OK for B.C. taxpayers to subsidize toll-free bridges in her own riding, but not OK in Metro Vancouver.

Here’s the problem for Clark: Her boring, steady-as-she-goes campaign platform contains little in the way of new spending, while Horgan is shovelling money off the back of the proverbial truck.

The Liberals will call it irresponsible, unaffordable, totally reckless and brazen vote buying. And they will have a point.

But for voters sitting at kitchen tables comparing ever-rising monthly bills against shrinking bank balances, Horgan’s promises may hold appeal.

Clark’s Liberals have some major edges in this election: A buoyant economy, a 16-year winning streak in power, a massive fundraising advantage and a possibly surging Green party that could drain critical votes from the NDP.

But Horgan is producing the most eye-catching — and expensive — promises.

On Thursday, he will explain how he intends to pay for it all and still balance the budget. This I’ve got to see.