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Thursday, D ecem ber 31, 2015 - The IFP - H alton H ills - w w w .theifp.ca Page 7 905-877-3100 www.brooksheatingandair.ca and Time to Move? Call Derek CallDerek.ca 905-877-8262 Derek Dunphy Sales Representative • Truck Accessories • Upholstery • Heavy Equipment Glass •Window Tinting 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown 905-873-1655 We handleall insurance work. We handle all insurance work. COMMENT This photo of a frosty morning at 4th Line and 5th Sideroad was taken by Simone Garland. Have a photo you want to share? Email -- with details -- to cgamble@theifp.ca. WINTER'S TRYING From our readers Grits proving they can't control spending During the election campaign, the Liberals promised new spending, but also promised that the deficit would not exceed $10 billion in each of the next two fiscal years. However, since coming to power on Nov. 4, the new Lib- eral government has announced addi- tional spending that exceeds the spend- ing promised in their election platform by billions of dollars. This is concerning. The Liberals un- derestimated the amount of revenue that their new federal income tax hike would generate. During the election they prom- ised to raise the upper federal rate from 29 to 33 per cent on income about $200,000, but underestimat- ed the revenue this would generate by about $1 billion. They also underestimated the cost of cutting the middle income tax bracket. They projected it would cost $2.9 billion a year, but the Department of Finance now projects it will cost $500 million more-- $3.4 billion. The Liberals also promised that it would cost $250 million to take in 25,000 government sponsored refugees from Syria by year-end. Not only have they broken that promise by reducing the number to 15,000 and extending the deadline into the new year, they now admit the cost will be closer to $1.2 bil- lion over six years-- $877 million this fiscal year alone-- not $250 million. Just several weeks ago, the Prime Minister announced an additional $1 billion for the international UN climate change fund at the climate change conference in Paris. This spending had not been included in their election platform. This is just a sample of the unplanned for spending an- nounced since Nov. 4. In addition, there is evi- dence that the economy has deteriorated since last April, when the previous govern- ment forecast a small surplus of $1.4 billion for the current fiscal year. As a result, Finance Minister Bill Morneau recently indicated that revenues will come in lower than projected. What does this all mean? It means that the new government is not making the difficult choices necessary to keep spending under control. It means that the deficit is likely going to be much higher than $10 billion. It also means that there will be pressure to raise federal taxes to pay for this new spending. New programs and new spend- ing also create the risk of a struc- tural deficit, which is very difficult to eliminate, as the Province of On- tario is finding out. -- Michael Chong is the MP for Wellington-Halton Hills MICHAEL CHONG The way we were Mr. Goodwillie's place Shown in approximately 1913, Grandview House at 56 Queen St. in Georgetown was built in 1880 and was the second Empire style mansion associated with the Goodwillie family. Goodwillie was a solicitor, as well as clerk and treasurer for the Village of Georgetown. Later home to H.T. Arnold, a glove manufacturer, the home is an apartment building today, and a listed heritage property. Text courtesy of Heritage Halton Hills/Photo courtesy of Esquesing Historical Society