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Dumbass of the Week: Donating to Government The Dumbass of the Week is intended to highlight the stupidity surrounding us whether big or small, important or useless Ontarians donate $1M to provincial government CBC News \|\| June 14, 2006 Related - Why the Deficit will Never Be Paid Down Those of us lucky enough to get income tax refunds tend to do the obvious: pay bills, donate to charities, pay bills, splurge on a gadget or a meal or maybe take a trip. Oh, and pay bills. But in the past 10 years, thousands of Ontarians have donated some or all of their income tax refund to the provincial government to help pay the accumulated deficit. Yes, you read that right. In 2004-05, for example, 3,580 Ontarians gave $248,000 to the Ontario Opportunities Fund. A year earlier, 3,640 people offered a total of $307,000. In all, about $1 million was donated between 1996 and 2004, the provincial Finance Ministry told CBC News Online. A cool million doesn't make much of a dent, of course, with a $2.8 billion deficit in the 2005-06 provincial budget and an accumulated debt lumbering in at $130.6 billion. But it's the thought that counts. Fund created in 1996 It might seem surprising that people would willingly hand over extra cash to the government, but then-finance minister Ernie Eves said he created the Ontario Opportunities Fund in 1996 because, well, people asked for it. When he introduced the fund in his 1996 budget speech, Eves gave credit for the idea to two young sisters from Mattawa, Ont. Samantha Smith, 5, and Chelsea Smith, 6, had emptied $21.97 from their piggy banks and mailed it to Eves's office after watching a TV news story on the deficit. "I am creating a special fund to accommodate their wishes," Eves said in his speech, adding: "Chelsea and Samantha are not alone in their desire to help pay down the province's deficit." Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com Teen who inspired fund wants it spent on 'useful' things Chelsea, who is now 16, still thinks the fund is a good idea. "I just wish that it was being spent on things that would be useful," she told CBC News Online. "Not just for when the government keeps screwing up [the finances], so that they can keep dipping into it to fish themselves out again." One thing the Grade 11 student wants the money spent on is education. "At my school, the auditorium's falling apart, labs desperately need repairs, there's no air conditioning and in June you can't function," she said. "There's not enough text books and I'm just sick of that. We're Canada and we're supposed to have the best education system in the world. And it's not really showing." She doesn't donate now but said she would, if she could. Her father Tim isn't a fan, however, saying he'd prefer to donate to causes around Mattawa. "A lot more people can give more money than I can," said the owner of three small businesses. "If they want to donate their refunds, that's great. I never have a refund anyway." Federal donations hover around $80,000 a year Lest you think the federal debt — an estimated $487 billion, give or take a couple of billion — is being ignored, some Canadians send their extra cash to the Receiver-General, albeit with less enthusiasm than their Ontario counterparts. In 2004-05, federal taxpayers donated $78,835.05 to pay down some of the national debt, according to Finance Department officials. A year earlier, $80,712.14 was donated. Want to give it a try? On Page 4 of the Ontario tax return form, just check the box to have your refund sent to the fund. Or, send a cheque to the Ontario Opportunities Fund or to the Receiver-General directly. Such donations aren't entirely selfless acts, though. Provincial or federal donors get a tax credit for their next return. That could lower their tax rate, which gives them a better chance of getting a refund — that they can, if they want, then donate to the deficit. About KDR \| \| Home \| \| Weekly Features Archive	Weekly Weekly Features Archive
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Dumbass of the Week: Donating to Government

The Dumbass of the Week is intended to highlight the stupidity surrounding us whether big or small, important or useless

Gold Bars

Ontarians donate $1M to provincial government

CBC News || June 14, 2006

Related - Why the Deficit will Never Be Paid Down

Those of us lucky enough to get income tax refunds tend to do the obvious: pay bills, donate to charities, pay bills, splurge on a gadget or a meal or maybe take a trip. Oh, and pay bills.

But in the past 10 years, thousands of Ontarians have donated some or all of their income tax refund to the provincial government to help pay the accumulated deficit.

Yes, you read that right. In 2004-05, for example, 3,580 Ontarians gave $248,000 to the Ontario Opportunities Fund. A year earlier, 3,640 people offered a total of $307,000.

In all, about $1 million was donated between 1996 and 2004, the provincial Finance Ministry told CBC News Online.

A cool million doesn't make much of a dent, of course, with a $2.8 billion deficit in the 2005-06 provincial budget and an accumulated debt lumbering in at $130.6 billion. But it's the thought that counts.

Fund created in 1996

It might seem surprising that people would willingly hand over extra cash to the government, but then-finance minister Ernie Eves said he created the Ontario Opportunities Fund in 1996 because, well, people asked for it.

When he introduced the fund in his 1996 budget speech, Eves gave credit for the idea to two young sisters from Mattawa, Ont.

Samantha Smith, 5, and Chelsea Smith, 6, had emptied $21.97 from their piggy banks and mailed it to Eves's office after watching a TV news story on the deficit.

"I am creating a special fund to accommodate their wishes," Eves said in his speech, adding: "Chelsea and Samantha are not alone in their desire to help pay down the province's deficit."

Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com

Teen who inspired fund wants it spent on 'useful' things

Chelsea, who is now 16, still thinks the fund is a good idea.

"I just wish that it was being spent on things that would be useful," she told CBC News Online. "Not just for when the government keeps screwing up [the finances], so that they can keep dipping into it to fish themselves out again."

One thing the Grade 11 student wants the money spent on is education.

"At my school, the auditorium's falling apart, labs desperately need repairs, there's no air conditioning and in June you can't function," she said. "There's not enough text books and I'm just sick of that. We're Canada and we're supposed to have the best education system in the world. And it's not really showing."

She doesn't donate now but said she would, if she could.

Her father Tim isn't a fan, however, saying he'd prefer to donate to causes around Mattawa.

"A lot more people can give more money than I can," said the owner of three small businesses. "If they want to donate their refunds, that's great. I never have a refund anyway."

Federal donations hover around $80,000 a year

Lest you think the federal debt — an estimated $487 billion, give or take a couple of billion — is being ignored, some Canadians send their extra cash to the Receiver-General, albeit with less enthusiasm than their Ontario counterparts.

In 2004-05, federal taxpayers donated $78,835.05 to pay down some of the national debt, according to Finance Department officials. A year earlier, $80,712.14 was donated.

Want to give it a try? On Page 4 of the Ontario tax return form, just check the box to have your refund sent to the fund. Or, send a cheque to the Ontario Opportunities Fund or to the Receiver-General directly.

Such donations aren't entirely selfless acts, though. Provincial or federal donors get a tax credit for their next return. That could lower their tax rate, which gives them a better chance of getting a refund — that they can, if they want, then donate to the deficit.