PCs back in the taxpayer trough

EDMONTON, AB (October 19, 2012): PC MLAs on the Legislature’s Members’ Services Committee are back at the taxpayer trough, voting to double the contributions taxpayers make to MLA RRSPs, the Wildrose Official Opposition said today.

 At today’s committee meeting, the majority PC members of the committee passed a motion calling on taxpayers to contribute the full legislated maximum to MLA RRSPs ($22,970), up from the 50% contribution. Both Wildrose members of the committee, Official Opposition Leader Danielle Smith and MLA Heather Forsyth, voted against the motion.

 The PCs also attempted to reintroduce an additional transition allowance, despite Premier Alison Redford campaigning against transition allowances and a motion passed by the Legislature in May to permanently take them off the table.

 The proposal now goes to the Legislature for debate and review.

 “Once again, we see the PC government is out of touch and out for themselves,” Smith said. “They talked tough about transitions and pensions during the election but one of their first official acts is to give themselves what amounts to a pay raise on the backs of Alberta taxpayers. I highly doubt we’d have a single PC MLA in the Legislature today if they told voters during the election they were going to give themselves an $11,485 pay raise if they were re-elected.”

 “Nothing has changed with these PCs, they are still as entitled and arrogant as ever before,” Forsyth said. “Wildrose will continue to stand up for taxpayers against PC entitlement. We will oppose this RRSP hike every step of the way and make sure any benefits MLAs receive are in line with real world standards.”

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