Newsrelease

January 22, 1999
Edmonton, Alberta

"From Fort McMurray to Medicine Hat, people throughout the province took the time to consider our fiscal future and tell us what they think using the "Talk it up. Talk it out." survey. Their opinions are valuable and will help chart our course over the next several years."

The results are in
Albertans voice their opinion on Alberta's fiscal future

Almost 80,000 Albertans responded to the Talk it up. Talk it out. survey in November and December 1998, making it the most successful survey of its kind ever conducted in the province.

"I'm impressed by Albertans' overwhelming response," said Provincial Treasurer Stockwell Day. "I'd like to thank them for tackling this complex subject and sharing their opinions with us. They've given us a clear message, and working with the Premier and my cabinet colleagues, we will use the information to chart our fiscal course into the new millennium."

Highlights include:

• In response to question one, paying down the debt had the highest importance rating* at 74.8%, with almost half of respondents (46.9 %) rating it a five on a scale of one to five. Reducing taxes received the second highest rating at 61.4%, increasing priority spending was third (56.1%), and increasing savings in the Heritage Fund was fourth (19.2%).
• In response to question two, the highest number of respondents (21,518) chose an accelerated rate of 10 years to pay down Alberta's $12. 5 billion accumulated debt (once the net debt is gone). In total, nearly 90 per cent of respondents indicated they wanted the debt paid off in 20 years or less. The average of all respondents works out to 15.2 years.
• Question three asked respondents to divide a potential $100 surplus among four areas. The average of all responses worked out to: debt payment ($48.97), priority spending ($26.60), a tax refund ($18.54) and savings in the heritage fund ($5.89).
• In response to part one of question four, 32,830 respondents indicated that tax cuts were of high importance to them (a five on a scale of one to five), if it could be done without hurting important programs. Overall, this option was given a 70.8 % importance rating.
• Given six options for tax change, Albertans rated the choices, on an importance rating, as follows:
  • Eliminate deficit reduction taxes, 63.3%
  • Give a tax break to low income Albertans, 62.7%
  • Make the tax system flatter with fewer tax rates, 61.6%
  • Change tax brackets to offset inflation, 60.5%
  • Give a tax reduction to all Albertans, 58.9%
  • Provide additional tax support for families, 56.8%

These results are based on 78,598 responses from Albertans. No returned surveys were considered spoiled. The submissions were monitored for duplication and 607 were eliminated because they were found to be duplicates.

*The importance rating is the average of all the responses (on the 1 to 5 scale) converted to a 100 point index, with 100 being the most important, equivalent to a 5.

Talk It Up. Talk It Out.
SURVEY RESULTS

Section One: Demographic Results

Note: After viewing any table, press your "back" button to return to the document.

Click here for graphic - "Percentage of respondents by geographic location"

Click here for graphic - "Distribution of Responses by Method of Return"

Section Two: Frequency Results

Question 1

How important are the following to you?

(Rated on an importance scale of 1 to 5.)

1. Pay down the debt
2. Increase priority spending
3. Reduce taxes
4. Increase savings in the Heritage Fund

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 1.a): Pay Down the Debt"

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 1.b): Increase Priority Spending"

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 1.c): Reduce Taxes"

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 1.d): Increase Savings in Heritage Fund"

Question 2

When the net debt is eliminated, how quickly should Alberta pay off the remaining $12.5 billion in accumulated debt?

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 2): Speed of Debt Payment"

Question 3

Imagine $100 is this year’s surplus. How would you divide it among the four areas below?

1. Lump sum debt payment
2. One-time spending on important priorities
3. One-time tax refund to Albertans
4. Save money in the Heritage Fund

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 3): Dividing the Surplus"

Question 4

How important would a tax cut be to you if the government could do it without hurting important programs? (Rated on an importance scale of 1 to 5.)

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 4): Tax Cut Without Hurting Programs"

Rate the importance of each of the following suggestions for tax change. Keep in mind we would implement them only when we could afford to. (Rated on an importance scale of 1 to 5.)

1. Change tax brackets to offset the effects of inflation
2. Eliminate the “deficit-reduction” taxes introduced in 1987
3. Give a tax reduction to all Albertans
4. Give a tax break to low-income Albertans
5. Provide additional tax support for families
6. Make the tax system flatter with fewer tax rates

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 4.a): Change Tax Brackets"

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 4.b): Eliminate “Deficit-Reduction” Taxes"

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 4.c): Tax Reduction to All Albertans"

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 4.d): Low Income Tax Break"

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 4.e): Additional Tax Support for Families"

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 4.f): Flatter Tax System"

Section Three: Geographic Results

Question 1

How important are the following to you?

(The importance rating is the average of all the responses (on the 1 to 5 scale) converted to a 100 point index expressed as a percentage, with 100 being the most important, equivalent to a 5.)

1. Pay down the debt
2. Increase priority spending
3. Reduce taxes
4. Increase savings in the Heritage Fund

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 1): How important are the following to you?"

Question 2

When the net debt is eliminated, how quickly should Alberta pay off the remaining $12.5 billion in accumulated debt?

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 2): Speed of Debt Payment"

Question 3

Imagine $100 is this year’s surplus. How would you divide it among the four areas below?

1. Lump sum debt payment
2. One-time spending on important priorities
3. One-time tax refund to Albertans
4. Save money in the Heritage Fund

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 3): Dividing the Surplus"

Question 4

How important would a tax cut be to you if the government could do it without hurting important programs?
(The importance rating is the average of all the responses (on the 1 to 5 scale) converted to a 100 point index expressed as a percentage, with 100 being the most important, equivalent to a 5.)

Rate the importance of each of the following suggestions for tax change. Keep in mind we would implement them only when we could afford to.
(The importance rating is the average of all the responses (on the 1 to 5 scale) converted to a 100 point index expressed as a percentage, with 100 being the most important, equivalent to a 5.)

1. Change tax brackets to offset the effects of inflation
2. Eliminate the “deficit-reduction” taxes introduced in 1987
3. Give a tax reduction to all Albertans
4. Give a tax break to low-income Albertans
5. Provide additional tax support for families
6. Make the tax system flatter with fewer tax rates

Click here for graphic - "Results for Question 4): Suggestions for tax change"

For further information, please contact:

Shannon Taylor
Director of Communications
Alberta Treasury
(780) 427-5364

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