Editor, The News:
Re: Do your homework on HST (The News, June 14).
Walter Verwoerd, I am glad you appreciate the time, work, effort and money that has gone into fighting this poorly thought out, badly implemented tax shift.
I am afraid the only accomplishments we have really made are all in your head and you can attribute that to as much as $20 million dollars in government and corporate propaganda.
Next year I will still pay more than $1,000 of HST on the registered therapeutic massage that I use to control my fibromyalgia condition.
Next year, I will not be spending the $800 or 140 per cent HST increase on the labour to do those home renovations; been there done that this year. But unfortunately our roof does need replacing and that will be an extra 140 per cent on the labour to install that roof, which with all the other items and services I pay that extra seven per cent on, I will no doubt be up around that $2,000 mark of extra taxes, same as the past 11 months.
Every home owner will replace a roof or have to renovate at some time unless you are rich enough to buy a new house every few years, and you do not even want to go there as it could cost you an extra $50,000 dollars or more all thanks to the HST.
The alleged HST reductions are nothing more than birds in the bush, and as far as the reductions being law, it is also against the law to run a deficit in B.C., and with the fiscal responsibility this government has shown, it is highly unlikely this province will be running a balanced budget any time soon.
If so, which law are the Liberals, or whatever government is in power in 2013-2014, likely to respect: balanced budget or reduce the HST?
This is all moot. A one or two percent tax increase is a big deal at the best of times, but a 140 per cent tax increase or even a 100 per cent tax increase on hundreds of everyday critical goods and services is the stuff revolutions are made off.
Nothing has changed. It is still a poorly thought out and unjust tax. The only thing changing is your perception of this tax grab. Do not let them brainwash you with your own money. This tax has already hurt many of the citizens of B.C. and it will continue to put many people in the street as their ability to borrow money runs out and drives them into insolvency.
B.C. already has one of the highest rates of mortgages in arrears and has the highest consumer insolvency rate in Canada.
Maybe instead of just giving in to the propaganda and spin you should get in touch with Corisa Bell and offer to help put an end to this financial injustice.
The DBRS believes the province of B.C. has the flexibility to manage either outcome without significantly altering its fiscal outlook.
Wayne Clark
Maple Ridge
Lies and deceit
Editor, The News:
Re: Selling HST to the ‘me’ generation (B.C. Views, June 1.)
From ‘my’ perspective, Tom Fletcher omitted some key points. The main stumbling block is the way the government brought it to life. Lies and deceit. This ‘revenue neutral’ tax is going to be a boost of $1 billion for this year to government coffers. Taxpayers’ money, as was as the $1.6 billion from the feds.
The governments of this country have it backwards when they think they can just up the ante when they need more revenue to cover their outlandish spending when they should be looking at reducing the expenditures instead of increasing the taxes.
Heaven help us if this HST boondoggle gets the NDP elected next time out. I think the populace has to vote ‘yes’ in the referendum to show government that we have been pushed far enough.
If, as Mr. Fletcher suggests, haircuts and restaurant meals stay taxed if we go back to the PST, that might cause a bigger kerfuffle that this one.
Jim Anderson
Victoria