Quote:
Originally Posted by aberdeen5698
Well, I could argue that most people in the Lower Mainland would benefit from improved transit and bridge improvements in the form of lower congestion and more mobility options. And the tax would have applied only to the Lower Mainland, so people who would pay are largely the people who would benefit.
And I could also point out that the Province doesn't seem to have any qualms about Translink raising funds through property tax increases. Why is an increase in property taxes fair game when an increase in the sales tax isn't?
The position of the Province seems very disingenuous to me.
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it doesn't matter what happens, it matter what it LOOKS like. that's politics. it indirectly does benefit everyone, but what it looks like is that a bunch of people are getting a free ride while others have to pay for them.
raising the Provincial Sales Tax, PST, makes the province do it and it falls back on those politicians. where as TransLink raising the property tax falls back on the Mayors/TransLink.
personally, i prefer the PST idea, it captures our billions of dollars in tourism.
0.005 x $1,000,000,000 = $5,000,000. that's a lot of tax dollars from people who don't live here. i think the PST increase is the best option for that exact reason.
people use the "it hurts poor people more." well that's not exactly true, people with a lower income do get a tax refund/break every year and it would offset the increase.
but i can understand why the Province put it to a vote, but they were in a lose/lose situation for them, but ultimately it is the people who voted no faults. they were too short sighted/selfish to see the big picture. everyone needs to stop bashing the Province about this because it wasn't their fault. in democracy, the majority has the say, sadly, the majority are short sighted, self centered, and not all that bright. one must be able to see and comprehend the big picture, and the majority of people aren't even aware of a big picture existing.
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