Lots to dislike about carbon tax

Re: Carbon tax solves many problems, Issues and Ideas, Dec. 31

Professor John Richards asks “what is there is to dislike” about his carbon tax proposal. Dislikes follow.

It is a regressive tax. Lower income individuals will pay a higher percentage of their earnings as carbon taxes t han do higher- i ncome individuals.

Richards lauds “a comprehensive carbon tax as B.C. has pioneered,” and proposes a federal program with, believe-it-or not, “another equalization formula” to distribute carbon tax revenue among provincial treasuries.

But there are incremental costs to his proposed crosscountry expansion of B.C.’s carbon tax that have, after considerable study, been substantiated by the Canadian Taxpayers Association.

Richards did, however, nail two related assessments. The federal NDP leader (seeing social program funding potential) and the Green MPs (supporting any anti-carbon initiative) will no doubt support the professor’s carbon tax proposals.

Thankfully, we’ll not soon see successful federal NDP/ Green carbon-driven environmental legislation. RON JOHNSON Victoria