Taxation Policy
Taxation policy from the 2007 Green Book
:
- Reintroduce a progressive income tax system based upon the ability to pay.
- Create a Saskatchewan Prosperity Fund to ensure that future generations benefit from today’s wealth. Revenue from increased resource royalties would be saved to produce interest, providing long term, sustainable funding for the budgets of today and tomorrow.
- Cut propery taxes in rural areas, creating parity with urban centers.
- Increase the number of essential items that are exempt from PST. These will include sporting equipment and school supplies to reduce the burden on those with lower incomes.
- Provide additional gas tax revenue to municipal governments to allow for upgrades and investment in their public transit and bike infrastructure.
- Implement tax shifting in the forestry industry to reduce labour cost and make Saskatchewan businesses more competitive.
Taxation Resolutions 1998-2011:
2003.2 Taxation Reform
BE IT RESOLVED that a Green Party of Saskatchewan Government would reform Saskatchewan’s taxation system so that it is more just and that it more effectively supports local communities, and a sustainable and self sufficient community-based economy. These reforms would include:
- Taxes would be imposed or raised on environmentally destructive practices, with any additional revenues realized by these tax increases, to be directed to environmental cleanup, reclamation of ecologically damaged areas, and for the support of community efforts that support environmentally friendly and sustainable economic developments under a
Quality Saskatchewan
program, and would include a reduction of taxes on environmentally friendly
purchases.
- The taxation rules would be changed to shift the tax burden from regressive taxes such as property taxes and PST to a larger number of progressive income tax brackets, to a new luxury taxes and greater resource extraction and resource development taxes.
- The establishment of a
Community Development Tax Return
plan whereby a percentage of the PST, a commerce-based taxation revenue generated within a designated community area, would be returned to local communities and community groups which undertake to provide local services to citizens according to locally determined needs and priorities. As communities and community organizations develop greater capacity and efficiency in providing local governance and in supporting local community needs, a greater percentage of Community Development Tax Return
would be provided along with the delegation of greater community services currently being controlled and financed by the provincial government.
- The establishment of a scaled (graduated) revenue tax that would apply above a given threshold to replace the current municipal business tax system.
2000.18 Property Tax Through an Ad Valorem System
RESOLVED that the Green Party of Saskatchewan supports property taxation through an ad valorem system.
2000.19 Re-introduction of a Business Tax
RESOLVED that the Green Party of Saskatchewan support the re-introduction of a business tax at the municipal level and would require such a tax in all municipalities.
2000.20 Maximum wage
RESOLVED that the Green Party of Saskatchewan supports the idea of implementing a provincial/national maximum wage of $1 million.
1999.1 Taxes
That the provincial government's taxation and royalty revenues from mineral resources be raised at least to the levels under the Blakeney administration.
That tax incidence be shifted from middle and lower wage earners onto the profitable corporations operating in this province.
That the policy of taxing low income people through the use of casinos and VLT's be reversed.
Platform 2007: Taxation
Taxation for Social Justice
A GPS government will re-introduce a progressive tax system based on ability to pay, increase resource royalties, restore grants to municipalities, reduce property taxes, and move to eliminate user fees for public services.
