Tax credits sound like a good idea whenever the government or the opposition starts suggesting they have a plan for a new one.
Unfortunately, a number of these so called tax credits generally go by the wayside long before they are voted in by the government. Even the tax credits which do become official generally have enough fine print attached to their use that the average person does not bother looking at them when it comes time to do their taxes.
Case in point, the recent home-renovation program, which allowed for tax credits for people who want to make improvements to their home. Too bad the deductible was such that those in the lower-income brackets who could afford to do minor improvements were left out in the cold.
The benefit really only existed for people who were already planning to spend a chunk of money and could easily afford to go ahead with or without the tax credits. Those with far less money to spend on home improvements gained nothing from the program. It is a case of benefiting the haves over the have nots.
Now, the Alberta Liberal leader is proposing a new tax credit, $50 for Albertans who vote. David Swann said he hoped the tax credit would motivate Albertans to vote. It is not a bad idea, given the vote turnout has been about 40 per cent in recent elections.
With Albertans headed to the polls this fall for municipal elections, local municipal politicians might want to give the idea some consideration. Voter turnout is historically not very good in our rural areas, and maybe if voters could save on their local taxes they might consider it.
Of course, the program would be even more popular if someone was actually handing out $50 bills at the door to everyone who showed up to vote.
It is kind of like the U.S. approach of paying people to donate blood. Of course, the difference is that blood saves lives and voting someone into office probably does not deserve the same merit. While the Liberal idea of a tax credit seems like it might get a few more voters out to the polls, it seems wrong to pay people to vote. And even if you do get more voters turning up because of the tax credit, it does not mean they will be informed voters.
The program could end up benefiting the politician whose name appears first on the ballot. Those who could care less about the political process but who want their tax credit would simple mark the first name and be done with it. Maybe quality over quantity would be better for the province.