H.S.T.

[Gone_Fishin]

Yes, many people did think (erroneously) that the PST would be returned exactly "as it was", but that was never promised. What's more,what difference would it have made if it had been? The provincial government has total authority over provincial taxation in any case, and can alter the PST at will.... always could.

It's already changing. I'm working with the taxation authority right now to shape some of the new PST policy. There's a bit of an opportunity here to mitigate the $3 billion mess you guys foolishly chose to make some sort of point. Shooting oneself in the foot makes a point too, but whom does it really affect in the end besides yourself?

There are changes coming, so get ready for it. Hope your haircuts don't get hit with a luxury tax because you still have hair.

[keith1612]

some of it must have went to pay for Gordy's new fancy job overseas.

You do understand that Gordy works for the federal government, and not BC, right?

sure he does now, after screwing BC with the HST Harper had to give him a nice cushy job.

It's already changing. I'm working with the taxation authority right now to shape some of the new PST policy. There's a bit of an opportunity here to mitigate the $3 billion mess you guys foolishly chose to make some sort of point. Shooting oneself in the foot makes a point too, but whom does it really affect in the end besides yourself?

even with repaying the money BC shoppers and taxpayers will be way ahead with the HST gone in no time.
BC should outright refuse to repay it in the first place, Harper has collected more than that already with this cash grab.

[Gone_Fishin]

It's already changing. I'm working with the taxation authority right now to shape some of the new PST policy. There's a bit of an opportunity here to mitigate the $3 billion mess you guys foolishly chose to make some sort of point. Shooting oneself in the foot makes a point too, but whom does it really affect in the end besides yourself?

even with repaying the money BC shoppers and taxpayers will be way ahead with the HST gone in no time.
BC should outright refuse to repay it in the first place, Harper has collected more than that already with this cash grab.

I guess you don't realize how it is "paid back." The feds just withhold transfer payments on items like healthcare to offset the debt owing. There's no cheque cut. Puff out your chest all you want, but it won't stop the repayment. BC shoppers and taxpayers will not be ahead one cent, in fact, they will have to pay more to reinstate the PST office, to the tune of about $70 million this year alone.

Now, please tell me how you plan to keep our social programs going with $3 billion less to spend.

[keith1612]

I guess you don't realize how it is "paid back." The feds just withhold transfer payments on items like healthcare to offset the debt owing. There's no cheque cut. Puff out your chest all you want, but it won't stop the repayment. BC shoppers and taxpayers will not be ahead one cent, in fact, they will have to pay more to reinstate the PST office, to the tune of about $70 million this year alone.

Now, please tell me how you plan to keep our social programs going with $3 billion less to spend.

i suppose thanks to the Liberals the people of BC will have to tighten their belts wont they.
we would not have been in this situation if Gordy and Christy didnt try to slide a BS tax in the backdoor without everyone's consent.
no matter how its looked at the voters of BC dont now and didnt then want or accept this garbage.

[Rwede]

I too would be interested to hear how you plan on keeping our healthcare and education funded with $3 billion less. Corporations won't be paying for it with higher tax rates, as they will just jack the price of their goods up so that you foot the bill. So, it's a BS tax that you didn't like, but what are your plans to keep the hospitals and schools open with so much less money available?

[keith1612]

I too would be interested to hear how you plan on keeping our healthcare and education funded with $3 billion less. Corporations won't be paying for it with higher tax rates, as they will just jack the price of their goods up so that you foot the bill. So, it's a BS tax that you didn't like, but what are your plans to keep the hospitals and schools open with so much less money available?

i suppose we should start by dumping some of the over paid government employee's that got us in this mess.
lol the BC healthcare and school systems wont go under, they will just move budgets around wont they.
as for raising prices again remember who did this to BC and blame them.
you want to blame someone just remember at the polls this spring who did this.
maybe BC can save a billion a year by dumping the wasting Liberals and all their big bonuses.

[Rwede]

I too would be interested to hear how you plan on keeping our healthcare and education funded with $3 billion less. Corporations won't be paying for it with higher tax rates, as they will just jack the price of their goods up so that you foot the bill. So, it's a BS tax that you didn't like, but what are your plans to keep the hospitals and schools open with so much less money available?

i suppose we should start by dumping some of the over paid government employee's that got us in this mess.
lol the BC healthcare and school systems wont go under, they will just move budgets around wont they.
as for raising prices again remember who did this to BC and blame them.
you want to blame someone just remember at the polls this spring who did this.

Just move budgets around? Around a $3 billion hole? If you had $10 and now you only have $6, tell me how you just move budgets around to maintain what you had with $10.

How much do we spend on the government employees who got us into this mess that we can fire, without a large severence cost, to add up to $3 billion and still maintain the healthcare and education and other program services that you demand? Is it $3 billion? Do you have a list that we can add up to fund this?

I will remember who cost us $3 billion at election time. Adrian Dix and the NDP were the ones who rallied against the HST, which cost us $3 billion. I won't vote for them, because they got us into this terrible financial mess.

[greylady]

The Liberals and their screwed up megalomaniac leaders are the only ones who got us into this mess.

[keith1612]

Just move budgets around? Around a $3 billion hole? If you had $10 and now you only have $6, tell me how you just move budgets around to maintain what you had with $10.

How much do we spend on the government employees who got us into this mess that we can fire, without a large severence cost, to add up to $3 billion and still maintain the healthcare and education and other program services that you demand? Is it $3 billion? Do you have a list that we can add up to fund this?

I will remember who cost us $3 billion at election time. Adrian Dix and the NDP were the ones who rallied against the HST, which cost us $3 billion. I won't vote for them, because they got us into this terrible financial mess.

Well you can vote for the party who didnt cause it the NDP or the Liberals that lied and created the entire problem.
I know who most are going to vote for.
See uou later Christy

[Rwede]

Well you can vote for the party who didnt cause it the NDP or the Liberals that lied and created the entire problem.
I know who most are going to vote for.
See uou later Christy

The NDP didn't support a better tax system.

The NDP didn't support a tax system that favoured low income earners and low income families with rebates and taxed higher income spenders more with a pure consumption tax.

The NDP didn't support a tax system that taxed luxury items for the rich like golf memberships, country club memberships, and yacht moorage, and chose to allow those items for the rich to be PST exempt again.

The NDP didn't support a tax system that allowed BC businesses to compete with Alberta and create jobs.

Tell me again why I should vote NDP?

[sooperphreek]

telling you to vote left is a wasted breath. but in regards to the transfers and what the feds say we owe (which i disagree with) perhaps we now have leverage with the oil and pipelines that would be good for "canada". maybe we can come to some sort of understanding....

[Rwede]

telling you to vote left is a wasted breath. but in regards to the transfers and what the feds say we owe (which i disagree with) perhaps we now have leverage with the oil and pipelines that would be good for "canada". maybe we can come to some sort of understanding....

It would indeed be nice if we could come to an understanding. However, thanks to the repealing of the HST, we're negotiating from a weakened, desperate position, which rarely has a positive outcome.

[keith1612]

no worries BC will be ok and make out.
the liberals have shown we dont need to worry about giving billions to the feds for nothing.
if the provincial government can just toss money in the toilet then i suppose the tax payers can also.
be nice if guys would stop complaining about the referendum, its the only honest thing that was done with the entire HST scam.

[sooperphreek]

It would indeed be nice if we could come to an understanding. However, thanks to the repealing of the HST, we're negotiating from a weakened, desperate position, which rarely has a positive outcome.

alberta and the feds want dirty pipelines across our province and thats a weakened position? wow

[keith1612]

It would indeed be nice if we could come to an understanding. However, thanks to the repealing of the HST, we're negotiating from a weakened, desperate position, which rarely has a positive outcome.

alberta and the feds want dirty pipelines across our province and thats a weakened position? wow

it appears the HST lovers are willing to sell out BC on all factors, if the feds cant have the HST lets give them pipelines.
shame most of BC voters dont like either.