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Taxpayers should see the benefit of pipeline construction

Some taxpayers are not thinking of the positive sides of what pipelines can do to them financially.

Editor:

Some taxpayers are not thinking of the positive sides of what pipelines can do to them financially.

If the pipelines do go ahead, large royalties will be paid to the B.C. government or in real terms to the taxpayers of B.C., via government.  There are a number of factors of where these royalties can be applied. No royalties now, so royalties can be applied to health and education.

The   B.C. taxpayers would have a choice of a couple of options. One option would be not to pay any more 7 per cent provincial sales tax or monthly medical services premiums. If that is not acceptable, then how about receiving a yearly tax free royalty cheque once a year?

In the state of Alaska, the Alyeska pipeline was built and the state of Alaska gives out once a year royalty cheques to all taxpayers in the state. The average cheque payment has been $1108.45 per year over the last 30 years.

B.C. taxpayers must realize that this is a far better idea than buying Lotto 649 and Lotto Max tickets where the average is one winner in 28.6 million tickets sold.

Some taxpayers repeatedly ask, "what happens in case of an oil  spill?". That's true. The chance has to be taken. These same taxpayers get up every morning and do not know what will happen to them during their day. Going on a vacation? What happens if the plane goes down? Are these taxpayers saying that car accidents don't happen?

We all only live once, so why not take the benefits of pipeline construction royalties over lotto tickets? Remember also that nothing will happen if your health suddenly deteriorates on you.

In summary, we all take chances every day of our lives.  Some of us even have jobs that can end in an accident.

Joe Sawchuk

Duncan B.C.