HST - how are you planning to vote?

[whoisjohngalt]

I am curious to see what the community's thoughts are on the upcoming HST referendum.

Does today's announcement that the government plans to reduce the rate to 10% affect your decision?

I myself will be voting to keep it. It is a much fairer and less economically damaging tax than the PST that it is replacing, and low income British Columbians will actually have more money in their pockets under the HST than before, after taking into account the HST rebate.

For a good rebuttal to Vanderzalm, Delaney, Tieleman and the rest of the anti-HST folks see the video below that was created by a UBC student.

 

[donjoh]

Not too many people likes taxes, but they are a necessary evil.
Therefore, "what is the most cost-effective/fair/etc. way of doing it?"
In that regard, in my opinion, the HST is 'better' than the GST.

 

[whoisjohngalt]

Not too many people likes taxes, but they are a necessary evil.
Therefore, "what is the most cost-effective/fair/etc. way of doing it?"
In that regard, in my opinion, the HST is 'better' than the GST.

Thats exactly the point. Obviously we would all prefer to pay no taxes at all but given that the government has to raise funds the question should be what is the least harmful method. I really don't see how anyone can argue that the PST is better than the HST.

 

[SuperGrover]

I'm all for consumption tax versus income tax. However, certain things like food should not be taxed.

Eating out at an expensive restaurant can be considered as much entertainment as a meal, and should be taxed. However fast food at places like Subway and McDonalds really should not be taxed.

I will be voting against the HST. The PST/GST taxes have worked just fine over the last couple of decades.

 

[chilli]

I'll be voting against and I urge all of my friends at every opportunity to vote against it.

The reason we have such poor politicians is because of people like you (the 3 first posters) people who don't think, who are easily duped - people who allow politicians to lie and to mislead - and then you reward them by putting them back into power.

I'm honestly surprised that you don't see that.

But that's why we have the politicians that we do - because of people like you.

 

[blackcad]

I'll be voting against and I urge all of my friends at every opportunity to vote against it.

The reason we have such poor politicians is because of people like you (the 3 first posters) people who don't think, who are easily duped - people who allow politicians to lie and to mislead - and then you reward them by putting them back into power.

I'm honestly surprised that you don't see that.

But that's why we have the politicians that we do - because of people like you.

I completely agree chili. The Liberals were wearing a lot of egg on their faces when they rammed this tax against their unwilling subjects last year...public sentiment was venomous towards them....a 7% approval rating for the leader...are some people so blind that they've forgotten this?..The Liberals said that a harmonized sales tax was not on their agenda immediately before they were elected...and then set the ball in motion as soon as they got their mandate.

The first successful referendum in Canadian history proved how out of touch this government was. Now they put Christy in power and all is forgiven? I hope the public cannot be duped so easily....... I have always been a fairly staunch right-wing guy...but this was over the top.

The Liberals are hoping beyond hope that there are enough gullible voters to keep this ridiculous tax....they will say anything to dupe us into keeping it....."we will lower it to 10%"....SURE....."it will be too costly to get rid of it"...SURE... Well they are not fooling me. My memory is longer than a year. The system was better before with 5% GST on some goods and services...and 7% PST on most non-food items. The government blatantly lied when statements were made that the tax burden would be about the same....

I now pay:

12% on every restaurant meal....used to be 5%

12% on private used car sales..used to be 5%

12% on gym memberships (oh and now the gov't say's that if you are morbidly obese then they are thinking of making an exemption...I guess I better fatten up to save on my gym membership)

12% on vitamins/supplements/exercise equipment/condoms

12% on lessons such as music/art/singing/dance/martial arts etc. ....used to be 5%

12% on new real estate

.....and the list goes on.

Do not forget how you felt last year when this tax was implemented....vote as you intended to then. This is an unprecedented opportunity to hold a government accountable for actions that were completely done against the wishes of the vast majority of those they represent.

 

[whoisjohngalt]

I'll be voting against and I urge all of my friends at every opportunity to vote against it.

The reason we have such poor politicians is because of people like you (the 3 first posters) people who don't think, who are easily duped - people who allow politicians to lie and to mislead - and then you reward them by putting them back into power.

I'm honestly surprised that you don't see that.

But that's why we have the politicians that we do - because of people like you.

Since you have chosen to disparage those who don't share your view rather than provide support for your position, I am going to assume that you don't like the way the tax was brought in or you have a beef with Campbell and the Liberals in general, and feel that sending a message and holding them accountable is more important than good public policy. If so then I would suggest that the proper way to punish the Liberals is to vote them out in the next general election and that you should vote on the referendum based on the merits of the issue at hand, which is the HST versus the PST.

Or do you actually believe that the PST is a better method of taxation? If so please enlighten us.

 

[Tugela]

FYI, It isn't a Liberal tax, it is a Conservative tax. Fiscal conservatives favor consumer taxes because it relieves the tax burden on the rich at the expense of the poor.

At the end of the day the government has to raise taxes through some mechanism, and a consumer tax is better than an income tax for that purpose, depending on which side of the political spectrum you are on. Since most of the people on this board are conservatives it follows that most will be in favor of consumer taxes, unless they are hypocrits. If the Government is concerned about the effects on the poor, that can be remedied through tax credits, allthough obviously there is a limit to how much that can be applied.

It makes no sense to exclude some things for pst but still have gst. If something should be taxed, then both taxes should apply, there is no reasonable argument that one tax should apply but the other shouldn't. And creating a patchwork of exemptions and rebates is just plain stupid and expensive to manage.

Harmonizing just makes sense, but some people lack sense, so what can you do.

I intend to vote FOR the HST.

 

[mobile1]

I think even if we opt out of HST, many places have already hiked prices to include the HST, so the price inflation is already set in. Businesses will then take it as profit, and not claw back the HST in establishments that include it in their prices. Also, if they revert to GST, they will add GST to the already embedded HST price and hike it further so I think the damage has already been done, thus I am going to vote in favor of the HST.

 

[Mojo]

I will be voting for the HST. Even if the government goes back to the PST/GST system, they will have to manipulate the rates etc to maintain the needed taxes for education, medical etc. Keep the HST as it is more fair to all

 

[Aeiyah]

I'm all for consumption tax versus income tax. However, certain things like food should not be taxed.

Eating out at an expensive restaurant can be considered as much entertainment as a meal, and should be taxed. However fast food at places like Subway and McDonalds really should not be taxed.

I will be voting against the HST. The PST/GST taxes have worked just fine over the last couple of decades.

Cheap fast food that is full of empty calories and lacks adequate nutrients is the primary culprit in the obesity epidemic. As a society, we should be putting an extra tax on these very types of food.

 

[InTheBum]

Voting no to hst!

Fuck off to all business owners that like it!!!

 

[Karl Blues]

At the 10% rate, I am for it. It's lower than12% on most items anyway.

Nothing to stop a Govt down the road from implementing PST on everything that applies to HST anyway. No point in punishing ourselves to punish the politicians.

As for the comments on business owners, there is only one taxpayer. If you raise taxes on business, the consumer eventually pays for it.

 

[badbadboy]

Karl it goes to 10% in 2014 not right away so we will have to continue paying the 12% for 3 more years.

I am still on the fence on this one.

Everything we have now is taxed from dollar one. It is a tax that flows down to the consumer as it has been offloaded from business. Someone ends up with the burden and it is the consumer.

I am not anti business in fact I am a small business owner. I was discussing this issue with my accountant and pure and simple they like it because it simplifies their work. In turn they say their fees should cost less to me but I have not seen a decrease in my accountancy invoices in fact they have gone up. As has everything else I come in contact in business or personal life.

I do like simple bookkeeping and this lends itself to that very well. Before I had to segregate my PST from my GST because of accountancy/CRA etc.

FWIW I think the person who did the youtube video did a fine job, however in my mind there were a few things that were glossed over that would have put the anti HST campaign in a better light. M $0.02

 

[Oldfart]

Eating out at an expensive restaurant can be considered as much entertainment as a meal, and should be taxed. However fast food at places like Subway and McDonalds really should not be taxed.

This is not correct. The HST is hurting fine restaurants much more than crap franchises.

 

[Pirate Code]

I'll be voting against and I urge all of my friends at every opportunity to vote against it.

The reason we have such poor politicians is because of people like you (the 3 first posters) people who don't think, who are easily duped - people who allow politicians to lie and to mislead - and then you reward them by putting them back into power.

I'm honestly surprised that you don't see that.

But that's why we have the politicians that we do - because of people like you.

Since you have chosen to disparage those who don't share your view rather than provide support for your position, I am going to assume that you don't like the way the tax was brought in or you have a beef with Campbell and the Liberals in general, and feel that sending a message and holding them accountable is more important than good public policy. If so then I would suggest that the proper way to punish the Liberals is to vote them out in the next general election and that you should vote on the referendum based on the merits of the issue at hand, which is the HST versus the PST.

Or do you actually believe that the PST is a better method of taxation? If so please enlighten us.

This is what I see as the issue.
Certainly the way the tax was implemented was idiotic, and the Liberal party must take their lumps. Stupid people. But the HST makes business for the industry I am in much more feasible. With the higher Canadian dollar, if it goes back to GST/PST the industry I work in may tank completely.

What I could really go for is an even higher HST and an abolition of personal income taxes.

 

[hmm3030]

A consumption tax is actually good for the lower income bracket and particularily those who qualify for the HST rebate. And for all those against the HST, you will actually be voting YES on your ballot. I personally will be voting NO as I agree with the HST.

 

[Adriana✿]

NO! They lied to us to get elected with a no tax promise. They get elected and usher it in. Vote NO! Stand up to your government and let them know we won't let them treat us like that.

 

[Karl Blues]

NO! They lied to us to get elected with a no tax promise. They get elected and usher it in. Vote NO! Stand up to your government and let them know we won't let them treat us like that.

With respect, Adriana, the time to do that is election time.

 

[aznboi9]

It's threads like these that remind me why referendums are a poor way of determining public policy.