| "I haven't seen any evidence that people want to pick up their marbles and leave,'' he said. "In a democracy, everybody has to contribute to the things that matter most if you're going to have a civil society. And under Mr. Harris, that's not happening any more.'' Hampton said. | By ANTONELLA ARTUSO, Sun Media Queen's Park Bureau TORONTO --
NDP Leader Howard Hampton says all his election promises will be paid for by the rich. Hampton stopped short, however, of promising that an NDP government would deliver a balanced budget. "There will be no increase in the deficit,'' Hampton said yesterday. Hampton plans to unveil his entire election platform tomorrow -- six specific spending commitments worth $1.5 billion. The NDP intends to roll back the Mike Harris tax cut for individuals with more than $80,000 a year in taxable income, a move the party anticipates will raise at least $1.5 billion in new revenue. Hampton said the Liberals want to pay for their election promises, which he estimates at $1.7 billion and counting, out of an "imaginary'' budget surplus to be delivered by the Tories. Hampton said the last government he heard talk about a make-believe surplus belonged to Liberal premier David Peterson. "To say to people investments in health care, investments in education, can be secured by a surplus in the sky . . . I can't think of a more irresponsible position,'' he said. Hampton said the Tories, who will likely promise a tax cut, have yet to say how they will pay for it, a move he also called irresponsible. But New Democrats are not prepared to promise they will balance the budget, or that they won't run up a deficit at some point in their mandate. As for whether raising taxes necessarily means more government revenue, Hampton said he believes the rich will be willing to pay more to stay here in Ontario. "I haven't seen any evidence that people want to pick up their marbles and leave,'' he said. "In a democracy, everybody has to contribute to the things that matter most if you're going to have a civil society. And under Mr. Harris, that's not happening any more.'' |
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