ISSUE #6 VOLUME 21— April, 2015
A L B ERT A T E A C H ER S A S SO C I AT IO N LO C AL #3 N EW SLET T ER
Up the
Creek
Wolf Creek ATA Local Hosts MLA Evening
—Submitted by Lindsay Nicks
On Wednesday February 11 the Political Engagement Committee hosted the MLA’s that
represent Wolf Creek area in an interactive evening. Mr. Rod Fox and Mr. Joe Anglin were
elected in as representatives for the Wildrose party but both have left within the last 10
months. Mr. Anglin sits as an independent and Mr. Fox now represents the PC party.
Although it was a typical snowy February evening it did not deter everyone from coming. Teachers, local mayors, parents, students and a member from the provincial ATA were all
in attendance. Mr. Anglin and Mr. Fox both talked about the state of education in our province
and some possibilities we can expect to see in the upcoming year. They talked about how the
price of oil greatly affects the budget as well as how teachers could possibly see that trickle
down effect in the classrooms. There was time for a question and answer period and Mr. Fox
and Mr. Anglin faced some tough questions from the audience. The consistent message that
they gave was that we are facing a lot of uncertainty right now and we are not able to predict the
future.
Teachers are urged to keep contacting their MLA’s and stay up to date on political happenings. There is a lot of uncertainty right now about the upcoming school year and the best we
can do is to stay involved and encourage our students and parents to stay involved as well.
Please check out the website http://www.bettereducationtogether.com/ to see the current media
campaigns the ATA is running. You can also quickly contact your MLA from this website by entering your postal code.
To contact Mr. Joe Anglin: [email protected]
To contact Mr. Rod Fox: [email protected]
New on the ATA Local #3 Website at www.atawolf3.com:
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Updated Collective Agreement for Wolf Creek Teachers
How to access your Health Spending Account
ATA Local Executive Meeting Report
Latest Issues of Up the Creek
Alberta—By the Numbers-
Submitted by Michelle Wotherspoon, infor-
mation has been taken from the January 27th, 2015 and February 10th, 2015 editions of the ATA News
The recent collapse in oil prices is projected to result in a $7 billion reduction in provincial government
revenues. That amount is 15.8 per cent of the total revenues expected in fiscal 2014–15 and could leave
the province with a $5 billion operating deficit in 2015–16.
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If you are an employer doing business in Alberta,
your labour is on average
22 per cent more expensive.
It doesn’t matter whether
you employ teachers, nurses, engineers or electricians.
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In fact, not only do Alberta’s bankers, lawyers and
politicians make more money here than their counterparts in the rest of the country, those who earn more
than $100,000 also pay significantly less in tax — especially those making more
than half a million in a year.
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The fact that Alberta’s public sector workers are the
highest paid in the country
reflects the reality that Alberta’s private sector workers are the highest paid in
the country.
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In fact, the government
acknowledges that private
sector salaries are 26 per
cent higher than the national
private sector average, and
that Alberta’s public sector
salaries are 12 per cent
higher than the national average. Where are the best
paid engineers? Geologists?
Heavy duty mechanics?
Pipefitters? Alberta.
Alberta—By the Numbers, Cont.
 Albertans’ out-of-pocket
burden of provincial finances has been decreasing for 15 years. In the
late 1990s, revenues excluding natural resource revenue and investment income (taxes, charges,
fees, etc.) amounted to 14.25 per cent of household income. In 2013–14 they amounted to 11.9 per
cent. That represents a 16.5 per cent drop in the tax burden of Albertans since 2000.
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The government also acknowledges that the tax advantage in this province compared to the next
competitive province is more than $11 billion. • Albertans (and Alberta businesses) pay more than
$11 billion a year less in taxes than their counterparts in British Columbia, and $23 billion a year
less than those in Nova Scotia.
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The wealthiest Albertans are paying a third less in tax than their counterparts in Saskatchewan.
During the time that
Alberta teacher salaries
have been frozen, average wages in the province have increased by
more than 10 per cent
and the cost of living
has risen by more than
five per cent.
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Alberta could raise taxes sufficiently to meet the projected fiscal gaps and still maintain a significant tax advantage over other provinces.
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Personal income taxes are expected to generate $11.2 billion this year. If the base personal rate
were raised to 11 per cent and also a 15 per cent bracket added on incomes over $100,000, an additional $2.25 billion might be realized.
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Other taxes generate $4.4 billion, which comes primarily from the education property tax ($1.9
billion), tobacco taxes ($0.93 billion) and liquor taxes ($0.97 billion). Gaming and liquor revenues
yield $2.25 billion and various other premiums and fees provide $1.7 billion. Those total about
$8.3 -billion, so it would require a large increase in those levies to contribute significantly to the
revenue shortfall.
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Wondering how much revenue could be generated…
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The premier can’t expect to
balance the budget on the
backs of public servants when
the wealthiest Albertans are
paying a third less in tax than
their counterparts in Saskatchewan.
Alberta—By the Numbers, Cont.
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Teachers have already done their part and took a wage freeze for three years. While teacher wages
have been frozen, average wages in Alberta increased by more than 10 per cent and the cost of living
rose by more than five per cent.
Reinstating health insurance premiums
has been suggested. They raised about $1
billion annually prior to being terminated in
2009. Today, allowing for population and
income growth, their reinstatement might
generate $1.3 billion. However, as a fixed
amount per family (or individual) with
small concessions for low incomes, it was a
very regressive tax.
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There is a system for ensuring that all
Albertans share the responsibility of paying
for public services equitably — that is the
taxation system. Alberta can raise an additional $11.6 billion in revenue and still
maintain its status as the lowest taxed jurisdiction in Canada.
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The 5% pay cut to the Premier’s salary,
will shave nearly $11,000 from his
$218,000 salary, $10,000 from the
$200,000 salary for cabinet ministers and
$6,700 from the $134,000 paid to MLAs.
The political gesture, described by critics as
symbolic, is expected to save $600,000 per
year in an effort to plug an anticipated $6 to
$7 billion hole in government revenues as a
result of falling oil prices.
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The earnings of private sector employees in Alberta are 26 per cent higher than
the national average compared to about
eight per cent higher for public sector employees.
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Up the Creek! is published monthly, nine
times a year. Your contributions and feedback are always welcome.
Website: www.atawolf3.com
Ian McLaren, Communications Officer,
Wolf Creek ATA Local #3