Cullen Accused of election year tax lolly scramble

The Gist: New Zealand Finance Minister Michael Cullen is subject to National Party speculation that there will be a lolly scramble next year (election year)  based upon comments from Helen Clark and previous experience with election year budgets.

Bill English, National Party Finance Spokesperson says: Lollynomics, biggest spending government in history, what about Helen Clark’s comment that ‘it has taken a while to build up the kitty for a substantial tax package’?

Finance Minister Michael Cullen says: The Labour-led government governs and budgets for the long term.  We will not back away from that stance, especially in an election year.”

Lucy says: I’ll be glad if Michael Cullen stops pulling my football trick when it comes to business and personal tax cuts. The repetition of that game was getting old, even for me. Not to mention I wasn’t getting any royalties out of it.

Cliff Notes’ News Commentary Team says: Even with all this spending and the large surplus, we still have an underfunded public education and health sector. Unfortunately, it’s not like National is providing palatable alternatives is it? MMP is failing us at the moment.