The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has launched a campaign end to the wasteful per-vote subsidy for political parties in British Columbia.
“B.C. politicians are taking millions of dollars from taxpayers and they’re spending it on lawn signs, junk mail and attack ads for their political campaigns and this needs to stop,” said CTF B.C. Director Kris Sims. “It’s bad enough that politicians are always dreaming up ways to waste tax dollars on government schemes but forcing taxpayers to pay for political campaigns is completely unacceptable.
“The B.C. government needs to scrap the per-vote politician welfare subsidy.”
The CTF held a press conference on Monday morning to launch a new website, PoliticianWelfare.com, that includes a petition, free bumper stickers, a letter-writing campaign and a mock radio attack ad. The press conference was held outside of NDP head office in Vancouver and included a gigantic version of the CTF’s bumper sticker opposing Politician Welfare.
Political parties in B.C. will take more than $16.4 million from taxpayers through the per-vote political subsidy. Taxpayers are also on the hook for 50 per cent of a party’s election campaign expensesand this will cost an estimated additional $11 million.
“If politicians want to pass the hat at their meetings or hold karaoke competitions for donations that’s their business, but they should keep their hands out of taxpayers’ pockets,” said Sims. “British Columbians have a tough enough time affording the necessities, we shouldn’t be forced to pay for politician welfare.”
