Debt elimination and a freeze on taxes are core elements in the BC Liberal Party's election platform, which Premier Christy Clark unveiled April 15.
The budget notes a "roadmap for a debt-free B.C." that includes a debt pay-down plan for government debt, BC Ferries and BC Hydro as well as dedicating liquid natural gas revenue to the B.C. Prosperity Fund and controlling spending while growing the economy.
Clark would not expand the province's carbon tax nor institute a corporate capital tax on financial institutions. Both those initiatives are planks in the NDP platform that leader Adrian Dix released last week.
Other highlights from the Liberals' platform include:
a five-year freeze on personal income tax, with the exception of the highest income earners;
a small business tax rate drop to 1.5% by 2017/18 from 2.5% today;
corporate tax rate will come down to 10% by 2018;
a $250-per-child back-to-school tax credit for parents; and
a $500 tax credit for teachers who coach;
The Liberals plan to train more doctors, increase hospice spaces, expand the B.C. training tax credit, open a B.C. film office in L.A. and conduct annual forest industry trade missions to Asia.
The plan also includes putting a new TransLink funding formula to a referendum in conjunction with the 2014 civic election.
