lsSfeiiCas
I
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..
WCiV
jj
Cl(bn
photo
by
Im
TIkI
Technician
Brian
Self
seta
new
tax
rate
on
cash
register
here.
See
story,
page
3.
PROVINCIAL
TAX
RATES
SOAR
There's
a
Wolfe
at
our
door
by
NICK
HILLS
Southnm
New
Services
VICTORIA-British
Col-umbians
were
hit
with
tax
increases
totalling
$267-million
Friday
as
the
Social
Credit
government
introduced
a
self-styled
recovery
budget
totalling
$3.615-blllion.
Finance
Minister
Evan
Wolfe
struck
at
almost
every
level
of
wage
earner,
raising
provincial
income
tax,
the
sales
tax,
and
cigarette
and
tobacco
tax.
On
top
of
this,
medicare
premiums
will
go
up
July
1
by
50
per
cent.
In
bringing
in
these
Draconian
measures,
Wolfe
launched
a
bitter
attack
on
the
former
NDP
admistra-tion,
blaming
it
for
most
of
the
provnce's
current
economic
woes.
Mr.
Wolfe
said:
"Never
again
must
the
people's
money
be
wasted
so
carelessly;
never
again
must
political
expediency
replace
sound
management;
never
again
must
government
be
allowed
to
engage
in
such
a
disgraceful
financial
coverup."
The
British
Columbia
business
community
did
not
escape
the
tax
blows
either,
even
though
the
province's
economy
is
only
very
slowly
coming
out
of
a
recession.
Corporation
taxes
will
rise
two
percentage
points
to
15
per
cent,
bringing
in
an
extra
$31'
million
in
revenue.
This
change
is
retroactive
to
January
1.
Small
business
is
exempted,
its
tax
rate
will
remain
at
12
per
cent.
The
personal
income
tax
rate
goes
up
two
percentage
points
to
32.5
per
cent
on
July
1,
yielding
an
extra
$23.5
million
in
revenue.
The
provincial
sales
tax
goes
to
seven
per
cent
from
five
per
cent
today,
bringing
in
another
$200
million.
This
Increase
brings
B.C.'s
Hospital
left
in
Local
hospital
officials
are
unsure
what
affect
the
new
hospital
daily
rates
might
have
on
Prince
George
Regional
Hospital.
Whether
the
additional
revenue
from
the
increased
rates
will
be
given
to
the
hospital
or
absorbed
into
general
government
ret
venue
is
not
known
here.
The
additional
revenue
'You
spend
more
VICTORIA
(CP)
-
Finance
Minister
Evan
Wolfe
said
Friday
the
reason
the
provincial
government
increased
the
sales
tax
is
because
it
is
a
fair
tax
and
brings
in
more
revenue
than
other
taxes.
The
sales
tax
"is
right
up
front
where
everybody
can
see
it,"
he
told
a
news
conference
after
announcing
the
1976-77
budget
in
the
legislature.
"You
spend
more
money,
you
pay
more
taxes."
He
was
replying
to
a
ques
THE
BUDGET
sales
tax
to
the
level
of
Ontario's.
Sales
tax
Is
considered
by
many
economists
to
be
the
most
progressive
form
of
revenue
collecting
because
it
tends
to
hit
at
lower
income
earners.
Finance
Minister
Wolfe
estimates
that
the
increase
here
will
take
$110-million
from
individual
consumers
and
$90
million
from
the
business
sector.
The
four
cents
added
to
a
package
of
25
cigarettes
will
yield
another
$10-million.
The
medicare
Increases
mean
that
a
family
of
three
Mayor
says
gov't
move
"faces
the
facts
of
life"
by
GORDON
POLLARD
Citizen
Staff
Reporter
Prince
George
Mayor
Harold
Moffat
says
the
belt-tightening
budget
brought
down
by
the
provincial
government
Friday
"simply
faces
the
facts
of
life."
But
Prince
George
Chamber
of
Commerce
president
Bob
McFarlane
feels
the
tax
increases
in
the
budget
"go
a
bit
too
far."
And
Don
Muirhead,
spokesman
for
the
Prince
George
and
District
Labor
Council,
says
the
budget
will
deal
"a
severe
blow"
to
people
on
low
and
fixed
incomes.
Moffat
says
he
sees
"no
reason
to
get
too
excited"
about
the
hikes
in
the
sales
tax
and
personal
and
corporation
income
tax.
"The
provincial
government
is
simply
facing
the
facts
of
life.
We've
got
to
from
the
new
$4
a
day
acute
care
rate
and
the
$7
a
day
extended
care
rate
will
amount
to
more
than
$300,000
locally.
Aid.
Bob
Martin,
city
appointee
to
the
hospital
board,
said
today
there
are
too
many
unanswered
questions
In
the
budget
announcement
to
say
what
effect
it
will
have
on
the
hospital.
tion
as
to
why
the
government
chose
to
increase
the
sales
tax
which
many
financial
experts
feel
is
regressive.
Mr.
Wolfe
said
the
primary
consideration
is
the
revenue
the
tax
brings
in.
Increasing
the
sales
tax
brings
in
$100
million
for
every
percentage
point
increase,
whereas
for
example,
the
personal
Income
tax
brings
in
only
$20
million
per
point.
Effective
midnight
Friday
night,
B.C.'s
sales
tax
j
will
have
their
monthly
premiums
increased
from
$12.50
to
$18.75.
There
are
also
large
jumps
In
certain
hospital-care
rates.
The
per
diem
rate
for
patients
in
ex-tendedqcare
units
shoots
up
from
$1
to
$7,
and
acute-care
rates
from
$1
to
$4.
To
set
their
own
example
to
the
taxpayers
so
badly
hit,
the
government
is
going
to
cut
salaries
and
alio-'
wances
to
cabinet
ministers
and
MLAs
by
10
per
cent.
The
former
NDP
administration
got
Itself
into
trouble
and
is
now
reaping
the
political
whirlwind
because
it
pay
for
everything
we
get."
He
said
he
doesn't
agree
with
critics
who
claim
the
boost
in
the
sales
tax
is
regressive.
"I've
never
regarded
the
sales
tax
as
regressive.
I
think
it's
a
fair,
equitable
form
of
taxation,
particularly
when
basic
needs
such
as
food
and
children's
clothing
are
exempt."
Moffat
said
it
would
be
unrealistic
to
expect
the
provincial
government
to
meet
its
obligations
without
some
tax
increases
this
year.
"Our
city
council
has
been
forced
to
raise
the
local
mill
rate.
So
we
can
hardly
expect
the
province
not
to
do
the
same."
The
mayor
added
he
is
pleased
provincial
revenue-sharing
with
municipalities
will
increase
by
$10-million
to
$30-million,
though
he
noted
dark
"It
depends
if
we're
going
to
keep
it,"
he
said,
"and
whether
we're
going
to
have
to
collect
it
if
someone
refuses
to
pay."
"If
we
have
to
collect
it
and
then'
it's
subtracted
from
our
patient
rates
(the
B.C.
Hospital
Programs
grant),
then
we
don't
benefit
at
all."
-
you
pay
more'
went
up
two
percentage
points
to
seven
per
cent.
Mr,
Wolfe
said
in
the
budget
that
part
of
the
foundation
for
the
government's
revenue
forecast
for
the
coming
fiscal
year
is
an
expectation
of
a
14-percent
growth
in
the
economy.
He
told
the
news
conference
that
figure
was
settled
on
primarily
because
of
the
United
States'
economic
climate
as
well
as
input
from
the
provincial
departments
of
finance
and
economic
development.
badly
over-estimated
the
economic
recovery
for
the
past
year.
It
had
calculated
revenues
for
the
1975-76
at
some
$3.22
billion,
but
revised
estimates
placed
them
at
only
$2.918-billion.
In
giving
the
province
this
bad
news,
Finance
Minister
Wolfe
said:
"As
I
look
at
the
last,
sad
remnants
of
the
former
government
sitting
across
from
me,
I
believe
that
when
the
people
read
this
tragic
story
of
how
their
money
went
down
the
drain
they
will
never
again
return
that
party
to
power.
"The
people
have
thrown
the
socialists
out
in
Australia.
They
have
been
thrown
out
in
New
Zealand.
They
are
hanging
on
the
ropes
in
Britain
and
their
leader
has
quit.
And
they
have
been
thrown
out
here.
"$10-million
isn't
really
very
much
when
it's
spread
among
all
of
B.C.'s
municipalities."
Chamber
president
McFralane
was
more
critical
of
the
budget,
saying
he
is
"disappointed
the
government
chose
to
increaes
taxes
across
the
board
at
this
time."
McFarlane
said
he
agrees
in
principle
with
Finance
Minister
Evan
Wolfe's
assertion
that
B.C.
should
have
a
balanced
budget.
But
he
said
he
feels
the
minister
has
"gone
a
bit
too
far"
In
boosting
the
sales
tax
and
personal
and
corporation
income
tax.
"When
we
are
still
experiencing
some
problems
with
our
economy,
it
is
not
the
time
for
tax
increases
of
this
kind."
McFarlane
said
he
had
hoped
the
government
would
put
more
emphasis
on
cutting
back
its
expenditures
rather
than
on
increasing
taxes.
Muirhead,
president
of
IWA
Local
1-424,
said
the
budget
"comes
down
hardest
on
those
least
able
to
pay.
"It
will
be
a
severe
blow
to
people
on
low
and
fixed
incomes.
They're
going
to
find
it
extremely
difficult
to
pay
the
higher
personal
income
taxes
and
higher
hospital
fees."
In
the
budget,
Mr.
Wolfe
said
it
appears
the
United
States
will
emerge
from
the
latest
recession
slowly
and
avoid
the
inflationary
boom
that
followed
the
previous
one.
In
particular,
he
said,
it
appears
there
will
be
some
improvement
in
the
American
housing
market,
on
which
the
province's
lumber
supply
depends
so
heavily.
More
on
budget,
pages
3,
9.
K
Monday,
March
29,
1976
.MV11.
20;
No.;
62
M1
Prince
George,
British
Columbia
TEAMSTER
PICKETS
DOWN
Second
union
seeks
strike
against
BCR
by
JAN-UDO
WENZEL
Citizen
staff
reporter
The
Teamsters
have"
removed
their
pickets
from
the
B.C.
Railway,
but
members
of
the
United
Transportation
Union
are
ready
to
go
on
strike
Inter
this
week.
UTU
northern
chairman
Noel
Hubbard
said
today
strike
notice
will
be
served
on
the
railway
as
soon
as
possible.
That
gives
the
union
the
right
to
go
on
strike
after
72
hours.
Teamsters
withdrew
their
plcketlines
at
BCR
operations
and
agreed
to
have
their
dispute
settled
by
binding
arbitration.
The
UTU
represents
about
280
employees
In
Prince
George,
while
the
Teamsters
number
70
who
are
employed
as
warehouse
and
office
personnel
as
well
as
truck
drivers.
The
strike
threatens
the
economy
of
the
north,
since
the
BCR
is
one
of
the
main
transportation
methods
for
goods
and
products.
The
Prince
George
area
pulp
mills
had
to
close
down
operations
because
of
the
lack
of
chlorine,
usually
shipped
in
by
BCR.
The
pulp
mills
engaged
in
their
spring
maintenance
work
earlier
than
usual
because
of
the
railway
strike.
Railway
employees
are
represented
by
the
Teamsters,
the
International
Union
of
Operating
Engineers,
Brotherhood
of
Maintenance
of
Way
Employees,
Brotherhood
of
Railway
Carmen,
Brotherhood
of
Railway,
Airline
and
Steamship
Clerks,
United
Association
of
Journeymen
and
Apprentices
of
the
Plumbers
and
Pipefitters
Union,
and
the
UTU.
All
others
agree
With
the
exception
of
the
UTU,
all
other
BCR
unions
have
either
reached
new
contracts
or
have
agreed
to
be
part
of
the
binding
arbitration
agreed
to
by
the
Teamsters.
While
the
Teamster
dispute
centered
around
wages,
the
UTU
is
seeking
overtime
pay
at
the
rate
of
time
and
one
half
on
a
daily
basis.
"That's
the
Issue
right
there,"
Hubbard
said.
The
union
is
also
seeking
a
shortening
of
the
unpaid
layover
time
from
the
current
16
hours
to
10
hours.
The
UTU
has
been
negotiating
with
the
BCR
since
May
and
its
contract
expired
at
the
end
of
July.
Meanwhile
the
railway
is
trying
to
get
back
into
business.
A
BCR
spokesman
in
Vancouver
said
some
yard
crews
are
operating
and
two
trains
are
running
between
Vancouver
and
Lilloet.
Hubbard
said
the
majority
of
UTU
members
here
have
decided
to
use
a
clause
In
their
contract
which
allows
them
to
take
up
to
15
days
to
return
to
work
after
a
lay-off.
"This
decision
is
being
checked
out
by
our
legal
department,"
a
railway
spokesman
in
Vancouver
said.
He
said
the
railway
does
not
agree
with
the
union's
interpretation
of
the
clause.
Teamster
Local
31
business
agent
John
Page
said
in
Prince
George
the
company
is
committed
to
have
all.
Teamsters
back
at
work
within
five
days.
The
decision
to
take
the
dispute
to
binding
arbitration
was
made
Friday.
But
the
Teamsters
had
offered
to
submit
to
arbitration
earlier
during
the
strike.
The
offer
had
been
turned
down
by
the
BCR.
The
Teamsters
went
on
strike
March
2,
after
they
failed
to
reach
an
agreement
on
wages.
The
union
asked
an
increase
of
$2.20
an
hour
over
two
years,
the
same
pay
increase
as
the
BCR
locomotive
Sadat
courts
West
BONN
(AP)
-
Egyptian
President
Anwar
Sadat
arrived
in
West
Germany
today
to
begin
a
five-country
European
tour
in
search
of
Western
arms,
money
and
political
support
after
burning
his
bridges
with
the
Soviet
Union.
Four
Phantom
jet
fighters
of
the
Luftwaffe
escorted
Sadat's
Egyptair
jetliner
from
the
German
border
to
its
landing
at
Cologne-Bonn
Airport,
where
West
German
President
Walter
Scheel
greeted
the
Sadat
party.
A
21-gun
salute
thundered
and
a
military
guard
of
honor
presented
arms
for
the
first
Egyptian
leader
to
pay
a
state
visit
here
since
King
Fuad's
trip
half
a
century
ago.
As
Sadat
left
Egypt,
the
ruling
Arab
Socialist
Union
again
assailed
the
Russians.
It
said
the
15-year
Soviet-Egyptian
treaty
of
friendship
and
co-operation
which
Sadat
abrogated
two
weeks
ago
had
lost
all
meaning
following
Moscow's
refusal
to
provide
Egypt
with
military
equipment
and
refusal
to
postpone
repayment
of
the
$4
billion
Egypt
owes
the
Soviet
Union.
enginemen
received
earlier
teamster
base
rates
range
from
$4.42
to
$5.55
an
hour.
There
was
no
activity
in
the
Prince
George
BCR
yards
this
morning,
according
to
a
railway
spokesman.
Meanwhile,
Teamster
Local
31
members
are
still
locked
out
at
cartage
companies
throughout
the
province.
The
lockout
started
Wednesday
when
the
Transport
Labor
Relations
Association
was
unable
to
reach
a
contract
agreement
with
the
Teamsten
and
the
union
struck
11
of
tht
TLRA
member
firms.
The
association
respondec
by
the
lockout,
which
is
hon
ored
by
most
of
the
97
mem
bers.
However,
31
member
firms
are
operating.
One,
Lomack
Contracting
Ltd.
is
in
Prince
George.
The
other
Prince
George
TLRA
members,
Trlmack
Transport,
Westland
Carriers
and
Ninety-Seven
Transfer
locked
out
their
employees
last
week.
Talks
between
the
parties
were
suspended
Sunday
and
no
date
was
set
for
another
meeting.
Miners
buried
24
days
MANILA
(AP)
-
Two
Filipino
gold
miners
rescued
24
days
after
a
cave-in
trapped
them
165
feet
below
the
surface
were
describe
as
"fit
as
a
fiddle"
today
and
said
they
want
to
go
back
to
work
in
the
shafts.
But
doctors
ordered
rest
for
Manuel
(Nilo)
Chatto,
22,
and
Geronimo
Acot,
28,
who
hid
their
eyes
behind
dark
glasses
as
they
saw
the
sunlight
today
for
the
first
time
since
March
4.
The
doctors
said
they
found
some
skin
rash
but
no
other
evidence
of
ailments
during
initial
examinations.
"The
problem
is
the
rescue
workers,"
said
Dr.
Josefina
Miranda
of
the
Surigao
Medical
Centre.
"They
will
have
to
be
given
some
sort
of
layoff
to
give
them
enough
rest."
Chatto
and
Acot
who
said
they
would
be
ready
to
go
back
to
work
Tuesday
were
removed
late
Sunday
from
the
Lepanto
mine
on
Mindanao
island,
450
miles
south
of
Manila.
The
bodies
of
three
other
men
who
hH
been
trapped
with
them
were
also
taken
out,
and
the
rescue
crew
sealed
the
tunnel
because
they
feared
another
cave-in.
"I
am
still
handsome,"
said
Chatto,
a
bachelor,
in
a
brief
conversation
with
reporters.
"Me,
too,"
said
Acot.
They
spoke
in
Visayan,
the
language
of
the
central
Smithers
fire
destroys
store,
SMITHERS,
B.C.
(CP)
A
fire
Saturday
caused
$140,000
damage
and
destroyed
a
former
church
and
a
store
in
this
community
450
miles
north
of
Vancouver.
Cause
of
the
blaze,
which
started
in
the
vacant
church
building,
was
not
known.
Flames
then
spread
to
an
adjoining
warehouse.
No
injuries
were
reported.
TODAY
suites
'Are
you
sure
your
name
Isn
't
Jones?'
FEATURED
INSIDE
J
Council
behind
closed
doors
ponders
the
shape
of
things
to
come
in
Prince
George.
Page
3.
John
Diefenbaker
has
arrived
in
London
where
he
will
receive
the
Companion
of
Honor
award
from
Queen
Elizabeth.
Page
2.
Don't
be
surprised
If
a
visiting
rink
wins
the
world's
largest
curling
trophy
today.
Pages
13.14.
Business,
8;
Classified,
17-24;
Comics,
6;
Editorial,
4;
Entertainment,
6-7;
Home
and
Family,
26,
27;
Horoscope,
7;
International,
5;
Local
and
Provincial,
3,
9;
National,
2;
Sports,
13-16;
Television,
6.
THE
WEATHERj
Snow
and
cloud
were
expected
to
last
all
today
as
a
low
pressure
area
and
warm
moist
air
move
across
the
interior
of
B.C.
The
weatherman
predicted
clouds
with
sunny
periods
and
a
few
wet
snow
showers
for
Tuesday,
The
high
today,
4C;
the
low
tonight,
-2C.
The
high
Tuesday
was
5C,
Sunday's
high
was
4C;
the
low
was
-4C.
The
high
for
March
29.
1975
was
IOC;
the
low
was
1C.
(
NOW
HEAR
THIS
)
Newcomers
to
Prince
George
will
find
The
Citizen's
Growth
and
Development
Edition,
published
last
Friday,
an
excellent
way
to
show
their
new
city
to
relatives.
Extra
copies
of
the
edition
are
available
at
The
Citizen
office
for
25
cents.
We'll
mail
one
anywhere
In
Canada
for
50
cents,
or
to
any
foreign
country
for
$1.
Downtown
Businessmen's
Association
director
Wally
West
says
that
in
cities
which
opened
up
shopping
hours,
the
only
beneficiary
was
the
news
media
which
gained
400
per
cent
in
advertising.
A
quick
calculation
shows
that
if
shopping
hours
were
opened
up
here,
The
Citizen
would
gain
about
500
pages
of
solid
advertising
according
to
West.
Wowl
A
Prince
George
car
is
missing
its
owner.
The
car
was
brought
to
a
party
on
the
weekend
and
its
CARnage
conscious
owner
took
a
cab
home.
The
owner,
however,
forgot
where
the
party
was
held
and
is
still
looking
for
his
vehicle.
Famed
researcher
backs
vaccine
plan
SAN
DIEGO,
Calif,
(AP)
-Dr.
Jonas
Salk
says
it
Is
imperative
that
Americans
be
vaccinated
without
delay
against
a
predicted
outbreak
of
a
deadly
Influenza
strain
expected
in
the
fall,
"If
you
were
to
wait
until
September
and
wait
for
early
signs,
then
it
would
be
too
late,"
said
the
famed
medical
researcher,
Salk,
developer
of
the
first
polio
vaccine
and
founder
of
the
Salk
Institute
for
Biological
Studies
here,
supports
President
Ford's
plan
to
inoculate
the
entire
United
States
population
against
the
swine
flu
strain,
which
killed
548,000
people
in
the
United
States
and
millions
around
the
world
in
1918-19.
In
tin
interview,
Salk
said
the
nf-
proposed
program
should
have
been
undertaken
years
ago,
"It
will
always
be
beneficial
because
we
know
that
when
a
virus
begins
to
recycle
it
becomes
a
prevalent
virus
for
several
years.
Therefore,
we
can't
lose."
Salk
helped
develop
the
first
influenza
vaccine
while
he
was
assigned
to
the
Epidemiology
Board
of
the
U.S.
armed
forces
during
the
Second
World
War.
Preparations
for
the
vaccinations
should
proceed,
he
said,
without
guessing
about
the
extent
or
time
of
the
possible
outbreak,
"We
should
anticipate
it
and
provide
whatever
is
necessary
to
prevent
even
a
beginning
since
this
is
a
virus
that
spreads
from
person
to
person
rapidly
with
a
short
incubation
period
of
any-where
from
12
to
36
hours,"