Tax hikes, budget cuts won’t hurt Tories’ approval, pundits suggest

Political observers say the new provincial budget may siphon hundreds of dollars from Albertans’ pockets, but it won’t likely undermine Tories at the polls in a provincial election.

Progressive Conservative Premier Jim Prentice is widely expected to call a spring election in coming weeks, and the budget will be a key plank in his party’s platform.

The budget contains a new health care levy of up to $1,000, a new progressive income tax on the wealthy, a host of sin taxes and cuts to health and education, but Finance Minister Robin Campbell said he feels confident taking it to Albertans.

“I have no issue going to the doors in my riding and selling this,” Campbell told reporters.

Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt said any damage at the polls depends entirely on how well Alberta’s opposition parties leverage the flaws in the budget to present a viable alternative to the Tory budget.

“The Wildrose is in a tough spot,” Bratt said. “What could they do differently?”

Albertans have clearly told their politicians that they don’t want to see front-line services cut, he said, even though falling oil prices have drained $7 billion from Alberta’s resource-related revenues.

The NDP could offer a plausible alternative, he said, “but whether Albertans accept it is another matter.

“They could raise taxes on corpo- rations, and promise to restore the cuts to health, get rid of the health care levy, which (NDP Leader) Rachel (Notley) has already labelled the ‘waiting room tax,’ ” Bratt said.

Still, the Tories will win a majority, he predicted.