BC has greater political will than Ontario - why any tax?

William Ashley · August 26, 2011

http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/world/votes+scrap+hated/5313478/story.html

I wonder how much that is going to cost.

Why stop at the HST.. keep going BC.. become tax free!!!

It is interesting to wonder if you could outvote taxes, would the public vote down taxes?

I feel like if given the option the majority would opt to vote down a lot more taxes.

Could this be a model for the future?

This should make Washington state happy.

Edited August 26, 2011 by William Ashley

Smallc · August 26, 2011

This will probably be bad for the BC economy, and the Canadian economy in general.

segnosaur · August 26, 2011

Why stop at the HST.. keep going BC.. become tax free!!!

The fact that people are objecting to one tax measure/tax grab, does not necessarily mean that they are objecting to all tax measures.

I could say "I don't mind paying 30% income tax" and still object if the government decided to raise it to 40%.

I feel like if given the option the majority would opt to vote down a lot more taxes.

Quite possibly.

Not necessarily saying it would be a good model or bad. It does run the risk of handcuffing the government.

Frankly, I'd like to see more effort put into explaining to people what the cause/effect is of various spending and tax programs. (Something along the lines of "If you want program X, be prepared to pay $Y out of your pocket".)

CitizenX · August 26, 2011

BC people don't believe in trickle down economics, and hate being lied to. What's next... an Election call? Good bye Christy Clark and the BC Neo-Liberals.

Edited August 26, 2011 by CitizenX

Vineon · August 26, 2011

Can the rest of Canada get the 2 billions federal subsidy back that BC got for harmonizing their sales taxes now?

segnosaur · August 26, 2011

Can the rest of Canada get the 2 billions federal subsidy back that BC got for harmonizing their sales taxes now?

Good question.

What exactly did BC do with the subsidy it received? (Ontario basically used the money to send cheques to taxpayers... kind of like bribery.)

Wilber · August 26, 2011

Can the rest of Canada get the 2 billions federal subsidy back that BC got for harmonizing their sales taxes now?

It was 1.6 billion and it will have to be paid back. Kevin Falcon said today that a repayment schedule will be negotiated with the Feds. It will be interesting to see what form the PST will take when it is restored. Just about everyone agrees it needs improving no matter how they stood on the HST.

It's too bad that Campbell was such a devious arrogant SOB in the way he imposed it. More than any other reason, that is why it failed.

TimG · August 26, 2011

It's too bad that Campbell was such a devious arrogant SOB in the way he imposed it. More than any other reason, that is why it failed.

Sure, some of the voters of BC are vindictive immature children who would shot themselves in the foot to punish a politician who is long gone. Others are people who are fundamentally selfish and think taxes should be always paid by someone else. Edited August 26, 2011 by TimG

CitizenX · August 26, 2011

It's too bad that Campbell was such a devious arrogant SOB in the way he imposed it. More than any other reason, that is why it failed.

Trickle down economics doesn't work. People are sick of governments giving big business tax breaks in the hope of jobs that never come. The HST is out, next comes the BC Neo-Liberals. :angry:

CitizenX · August 26, 2011

Sure, some of the voters of BC are vindictive immature children who would shot themselves in the foot to punish a politician who is long gone. Others are people who are fundamentally selfish and think taxes should be always paid by someone else.

Wrong on both counts. BC citizens are finally standing up and saying No more. The government is suppose to work on behalf of the people not Corporations. Also those other people you are talking about that are fundamentally selfish,and think taxes should be always paid by someone else are Corporations.

Edited August 26, 2011 by CitizenX

Smallc · August 26, 2011

Wrong on both counts. BC citizens are finally standing up and saying No more. The government is suppose to work on behalf of the people not Corporations.

And who are the people supposed to work for?

TimG · August 26, 2011

The government is suppose to work on behalf of the people not Corporations.

IOW, you are one of those fundamentally selfish people who think that only other people (or corporations) should pay taxes. Sorry, standing up to demand that someone else pay more taxes is not nobel by any stretch of the imagination. It is pure, self interested greed on your part. Edited August 26, 2011 by TimG

Tilter · August 27, 2011

Trickle down economics doesn't work. People are sick of governments giving big business tax breaks in the hope of jobs that never come. The HST is out, next comes the BC Neo-Liberals. :angry:

where are the 60,000 new jobs that the Ontario HST was supposed to have created?

The hst is the most unfair tax imposed on poorer people. It's 13% of our income and only about .01% of anyone earning 150,000 bux a year.

CitizenX · August 27, 2011

IOW, you are one of those fundamentally selfish people who think that only other people (or corporations) should pay taxes. Sorry, standing up to demand that someone else pay more taxes is not nobel by any stretch of the imagination. It is pure, self interested greed on your part.

If I were paying 95% of income on one tax or another I shouldn't complain either right? I'm just being selfish, and greedy right? I've pegged you as a conservative Haperite. I find it funny that conservatives are all for tax cuts as long as it's for big business, and smaller government only where business is concerned. Sorry but the BC Neo-Liberals lost this fight and hopefully the next election.

TimG · August 27, 2011

If I were paying 95% of income on one tax or another I shouldn't complain either right?

But you aren't.

I find it funny that conservatives are all for tax cuts as long as it's for big business, and smaller government only where business is concerned.

Perhaps because the evidence shows that what is good for business is good for the economy.

The trouble with people like you is think there is this endless pot of money that can pay for whatever you want and it costs you nothing.

You live in a fantasy land.

And yes, the referendum was a victory for narrow minded self-centered greed. There is no other reason to oppose a tax which most economists agree is more efficient and better for the economy. Greed and a belief that others should pay for the services that you want to use.

Edited August 27, 2011 by TimG

CitizenX · August 27, 2011

But you aren't.

Perhaps because the evidence shows that what is good for business is good for the economy.

The trouble with people like you is think there is this endless pot of money that can pay for whatever you want and it costs you nothing.

You live in a fantasy land.

And yes, the referendum was a victory for narrow minded self-centered greed. There is no other reason to oppose a tax which most economists agree is more efficient and better for the economy. Greed and a belief that others should pay for the services that you want to use.

This message was brought to you from the Fraser Institute (Think tank ???) :lol:

Argus · August 27, 2011

where are the 60,000 new jobs that the Ontario HST was supposed to have created?

The hst is the most unfair tax imposed on poorer people. It's 13% of our income and only about .01% of anyone earning 150,000 bux a year.

Yeah! We were so much better off only paying 8% provincial sales tax! Well, and the 5% federal sales tax, but that's WAY less than 13%

TimG · August 27, 2011

This message was brought to you from the Fraser Institute

So? Is that supposed to suggest the message is some how untrue? The message is true whether you like it or not.

CitizenX · August 27, 2011

July 30, 2011 by theleftcoast.ca

A confidential source who is very well connected inside the BC Liberal Party has informed me that if the “YES to Extinguish the HST” vote is anything over 50%, rather than repealing the HST as Gordon Campbell had previously promised, Christy Clark will call a fall election with the HST as the key issue.

She will put her government on the line an effort to ask all British Columbians how they feel about the HST. It looks like the HST battle costs are going to continue to spiral upwards. Stay-tuned for a busy fall election season.

Sir Bandelot · August 27, 2011

Yeah! We were so much better off only paying 8% provincial sales tax! Well, and the 5% federal sales tax, but that's WAY less than 13%

The number is the same, but I'm sure you know the way the fed/provincial taxes were applied is different that the way the HST is applied.

CitizenX · August 27, 2011

So? Is that supposed to suggest the message is some how untrue? The message is true whether you like it or not.

The message is not only untrue but tiresome propaganda that people don't believe anymore. If this tax break somehow only helped small business I might have been alright with it, but these big greedy socially irresponsible corporation deserve nothing.

P.S. if it comes from the Fraser Institute it's really coming from big business which = B.S.

Edited August 27, 2011 by CitizenX

August 27, 2011

If I were paying 95% of income on one tax or another I shouldn't complain either right? I'm just being selfish, and greedy right? I've pegged you as a conservative Haperite. I find it funny that conservatives are all for tax cuts as long as it's for big business, and smaller government only where business is concerned. Sorry but the BC Neo-Liberals lost this fight and hopefully the next election.

You’re wrong, we’re not just in favour of less tax on business, we want to have lower income tax rates also……..

CitizenX · August 27, 2011

You’re wrong, we’re not just in favour of less tax on business, we want to have lower income tax rates also……..

Haa Haa yaa I saw that when Campbell (a Conservative in liberal cloths) tried to bribe the BC people with a tax break in order to keep HST. But when the polls came back as a no go...there goes the income tax break. :blink: :lol:

Edited August 27, 2011 by CitizenX

Argus · August 27, 2011

The number is the same, but I'm sure you know the way the fed/provincial taxes were applied is different that the way the HST is applied.

If a given province, in trying to get more taxes, decides to apply the new HST to things without offsetting this, that's a problem with a dishonest government trying to slip in a tax increase, not with the HST.

August 27, 2011

Haa Haa yaa I saw that when Campbell (a Conservative in liberal cloths) tried to bribe the BC people with a tax break in order to keep HST. But when the polls came back as a no go...there goes the income tax break.

Yeah, that’s funny....what do you think the province is going to have to do about the money we got from the FEDS for HST....Where do you think the money to repay them is going to come from? Me and your parents.....