New BC Political Discussion - POST BC Election 2017

[whatnext]

Andrew Wilkinson is apparently politically tone deaf, as he comes out swinging against taxing those poor owners of multimillion dollar homes at a higher rate than the rest of us. And of course, he shills for developers, as that is baked into the BC Liberal DNA:

https://www.straight.com/news/1047226/cl...ween-bc-liberals-and-bc-ndp-over-housing

[rofina]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Andrew Wilkinson is apparently politically tone deaf, as he comes out swinging against taxing those poor owners of multimillion dollar homes at a higher rate than the rest of us. And of course, he shills for developers, as that is baked into the BC Liberal DNA:

https://www.straight.com/news/1047226/cl...ween-bc-liberals-and-bc-ndp-over-housing

More so than that, I find this polarisation concerning over the long term.

The Liberals have staked their claim as the "millionaire" party.

I don't much care for the "us vs them" paradigm this creates - the asset rich elite vs the renters.

This type of dynamic doesn't end well over the long term, particularly in a province where elections are always razor thin.

[logicbomb]

The media is going bonkers over this speculation tax and the masses are eating it up. I have had conversations with renters that say the speculation taxes will hurt them as it will decrease the rental supply. May be somewhat true but the objective here was to limit the amount of foreign and out of province influence in the real estate market. The general public also believes the NDP are responsible for the high price of gas...When it is the oil cartel intentionally spiking the prices for profit.

The business community and the corporate media have waged war against the NDP ever since the 2018 Budget. It's freaky how the media can twist public opinion...

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by logicbomb

The media is going bonkers over this speculation tax and the masses are eating it up. I have had conversations with renters that say the speculation taxes will hurt them as it will decrease the rental supply. May be somewhat true but the objective here was to limit the amount of foreign and out of province influence in the real estate market. The general public also believes the NDP are responsible for the high price of gas...When it is the oil cartel intentionally spiking the prices for profit.

The business community and the corporate media have waged war against the NDP ever since the 2018 Budget. It's freaky how the media can twist public opinion...

Yep, awfully convenient how the "shortage" in gas supply in the Lower Mainland occurred just as the NDP announced policies against Kinder Morgan. And the development industry has nobody but themselves to blame over the backlash against offshore buyers.

It boggles my mind that some renters could be stupid enough to think that targetting foreign owners would decrease rental supply.

[WarrenC12]

Just wait. We're going to be hit Russia-style for the Federal election.

The NDP are the victims of bad timing, and Notley's desperate attempt to appease the oilpatch.

KM is a bigger issue though, looks like May and an NDP MP were just arrested at the pipeline protest.

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by whatnext

It boggles my mind that some renters could be stupid enough to think that targetting foreign owners would decrease rental supply.

Well, I mean they can afford to purchase as many properties as possible to convert them into low-grade Vancouver specials with lockable basement doors and effectively cram two families into one building, plus the laneway house. Without them you would have average canadians living the dream of owning a detached home with a garage and incurring a lower per-person land density. Right?




....Right??





I'm sure someone is spinning it like that.

[logicbomb]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Yep, awfully convenient how the "shortage" in gas supply in the Lower Mainland occurred just as the NDP announced policies against Kinder Morgan. And the development industry has nobody but themselves to blame over the backlash against offshore buyers.

It boggles my mind that some renters could be stupid enough to think that targetting foreign owners would decrease rental supply.

Pissing off the corporate powers that line your pocket by implimenting progressive tactics aimed at redistributing wealth is never a move you want to make. The corporations run the state...People side with these corporate powers they percieve such tactics to be communist or socialist.

[bluefox]

Originally Posted by logicbomb

Pissing off the corporate powers that line your pocket by implimenting progressive tactics aimed at redistributing wealth is never a move you want to make. The corporations run the state...People side with these corporate powers they percieve such tactics to be communist or socialist.

I wouldn't panic just yet... we had gas prices this high four years ago with a Conservative federal government and a "free-enterprise" provincial government.

I agree gas prices are fixed and that some of the worst collusion happens in fuel prices because of a lack of regulation.

The pipeline expansion is of no benefit to BC from a consumer perspective and the province needs to do a better job explaining that so people understand this. Put aside the environmental concerns, even if we allow KM to twin the pipeline, we will still pay more for gas.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by logicbomb

Pissing off the corporate powers that line your pocket by implimenting progressive tactics aimed at redistributing wealth is never a move you want to make. The corporations run the state...People side with these corporate powers they percieve such tactics to be communist or socialist.

Hogwash. But even if you believe that, all the more reason to cheer the NDP bans on large corporate donations.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Hogwash. But even if you believe that, all the more reason to cheer the NDP bans on large corporate donations.

The municipal elections later this year will be the first that have banned union and corporate donations. It should be interesting.

[logicbomb]

Backlash over speculation tax continues...How am I supposed to feel sorry for those with vacation homes when you have growing homelessness?

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by logicbomb

Backlash over speculation tax continues...How am I supposed to feel sorry for those with vacation homes when you have growing homelessness?

The NDP should climb down over including British Columbians in this tax. It's a dumb move, tax credit or no. When you have a minority government you can't alienate voters and I'd bet there's a significant amount of NDP-voting Gen Xers and Boomers who have cabins. Nobody's going to cry over taxing foreign nationals or even other Canadians getting taxed, but they will get pissed if Grandma loses the family cabin.

[rofina]

Originally Posted by logicbomb

Backlash over speculation tax continues...How am I supposed to feel sorry for those with vacation homes when you have growing homelessness?

Not everything in life is a zero sum game - this is a broken way of looking at issues that is all to pervasive in the West now.

Its OK to recognise that both sides have legitimate claims.

There are thousands of honest BC'ers - small business owners, tradesmen, accountants, etc that own vacation properties in the Province.

They didn't steal, they paid taxes, they built small business, they created wealth and value for themselves and the Province.

Why punish them? Its a nonsensical approach, that does not serve anything productive beyond a reflex to a "punishment" ideology.

On the flip side, none of the above exempts anyone from wanting to enact real solutions for homelessness.

Life doesn't fit into neat boxes - its acceptable to want solutions that don't have broad reaching and unfair collateral damage.

Its so frustrating to see politics in the West devolve to primitive tribalism - everyone locking themselves into nonnegotiable ideological camps.

There has been, is, and will continue to be a solution out of this. But no level of Government is willing to have a real conversation - its pathetic, and damaging to our society.

[s211]

Originally Posted by rofina

Not everything in life is a zero sum game - this is a broken way of looking at issues that is all to pervasive in the West now.

Its OK to recognise that both sides have legitimate claims.

There are thousands of honest BC'ers - small business owners, tradesmen, accountants, etc that own vacation properties in the Province.

They didn't steal, they paid taxes, they built small business, they created wealth and value for themselves and the Province.

Why punish them? Its a nonsensical approach, that does not serve anything productive beyond a reflex to a "punishment" ideology.

On the flip side, none of the above exempts anyone from wanting to enact real solutions for homelessness.

Life doesn't fit into neat boxes - its acceptable to want solutions that don't have broad reaching and unfair collateral damage.

Its so frustrating to see politics in the West devolve to primitive tribalism - everyone locking themselves into nonnegotiable ideological camps.

There has been, is, and will continue to be a solution out of this. But no level of Government is willing to have a real conversation - its pathetic, and damaging to our society.

Hear hear!

(I hope that's not too anachronistic of me. )

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by rofina

There are thousands of honest BC'ers - small business owners, tradesmen, accountants, etc that own vacation properties in the Province.

They didn't steal, they paid taxes, they built small business, they created wealth and value for themselves and the Province.

Why punish them? Its a nonsensical approach, that does not serve anything productive beyond a reflex to a "punishment" ideology.

Well we can't single out the two top demographics we are having speculative problems with, so they are just collateral damage. As simple as that.

[Millennium2002]

So it looks like the NDP has narrowed down the scope of the tax to the more urban areas:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-co...rnment-update-exemptions-james-1.4593681

I have to say, though... would it not make more sense to have municipalities or regions opt in and out as they please, either by vote or referendum? Say... if this were to happen to Prince George in the future, how would they handle that case?

(Oh and, to address those folks who claim a vote would simply arise to an opaque on-off switch on taxes, perhaps we can specify that such a vote or referendum can only happen once during an elected council's term.)

[whatnext]

Changes to the proposed Speculator's Tax announced. Three rates, 2% for foreign buyers, 1% for other Canadians and just .5% for BCers. Gulf Islands exempted but BC Liberal-loving Kelowna is not.

http://theprovince.com/news/politics/b-c...wcm/b1e422ef-4de4-4567-bcff-226941846b7c

[s211]

Seriously.... taxing anything inland in resort-oriented areas is largely just a mean-spirited and underhanded way of sniping at Albertans.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by s211

Seriously.... taxing anything inland in resort-oriented areas is largely just a mean-spirited and underhanded way of sniping at Albertans.

Nutley and her minions deserve it.

[Bcasey25raptor]

Originally Posted by s211

Seriously.... taxing anything inland in resort-oriented areas is largely just a mean-spirited and underhanded way of sniping at Albertans.

Good, I grew up in kelowna and watched albertan money distort that city for years.