Email from Colin Hansen :: Why the HST and why now?

[mooks28]

Watch for a flood of advertising if it goes to referendum

And then watch the government ask in the referendum what people would like to see cut out of the budget in order to take the revenue cut that getting rid of the HST would entail.

People can't scream for less taxes and more spending and no deficits and think that something ain't gonna give. Sorry folks.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by mooks28

Watch for a flood of advertising if it goes to referendum

And then watch the government ask in the referendum what people would like to see cut out of the budget in order to take the revenue cut that getting rid of the HST would entail.

People can't scream for less taxes and more spending and no deficits and think that something ain't gonna give. Sorry folks.

But we can scream for a government that doesn't continually reveal its contempt for the electorate with blatant pre-election lies.

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by whatnext

But we can scream for a government that doesn't continually reveal its contempt for the electorate with blatant pre-election lies.

Just what unicorns arse are you planning to pull that out of?

That's democracy!

You vote for whose lies are least likely to hurt you the most.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by mooks28

Watch for a flood of advertising if it goes to referendum

And then watch the government ask in the referendum what people would like to see cut out of the budget in order to take the revenue cut that getting rid of the HST would entail.

People can't scream for less taxes and more spending and no deficits and think that something ain't gonna give. Sorry folks.

But the tax is supposed to be revenue neutral.

If only there were some realistic alternative not headed by Carole James...

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

But the tax is supposed to be revenue neutral.

When the government says "revenue neutral" they pretty much always mean "other than the tens of millions, to possibly billions that it'll cost".

[whatnext]

Well, whaddya know, is there an honourable BC Liberal after all?:

Minister Blair Lekstrom quits B.C. cabinet in protest over HST

Blair Lekstrom resigned as B.C.'s minister of energy, mines and petroleum resources Friday saying he was leaving both the cabinet and the caucus over a fundamental disagreement with the BC Liberals on the harmonized sales tax.

The surprise announcement came as a crushing blow for Premier Gordon Campbell's Liberal government, which had already been reeling from opposition to the new tax, and which faces the prospect of a possible recall campaign for some of its members starting in the fall...
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Min...#ixzz0qfK5J06W

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Min...#ixzz0qfK0RztT

[trofirhen]

A lot of people cynically said that Lekström's resignation was just an act of self-survival, given the public anger over the HST.
Is it possible to cut him some slack and possible venture to dare say that he is a person with personal ethics and limits?

In any event, friends back home tell me that essential services have been cut left and right, MLAs' salaries are going up, and now comes the HST.

Given the current economic times, I think that kicking a certain government in the butt every way possible, then mopping up the remaining blood come election year might be rather a good thing.

[whatnext]

Hansen must be getting worried, now he's apologizing for the HST. Any bets on if he'll run in the next election?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1707179/

[Rusty Gull]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

A lot of people cynically said that Lekström's resignation was just an act of self-survival, given the public anger over the HST.
Is it possible to cut him some slack and possible venture to dare say that he is a person with personal ethics and limits?

In any event, friends back home tell me that essential services have been cut left and right, MLAs' salaries are going up, and now comes the HST.

Given the current economic times, I think that kicking a certain government in the butt every way possible, then mopping up the remaining blood come election year might be rather a good thing.

Gotta love the 'Zalm! Go Billy Go!

[mezzanine]

^i am old enough to remember the last time vander zalm led BC, and old enough to apprciate the irony of him calling for the government to resign.

Feb. 13, 1991: A letter written by Lillian Vander Zalm to Tan Yu is made public in B.C. Supreme Court. The Aug. 26, 1990, letter says: "My husband, the premier, has arranged for meetings with government ministers regarding the establishment of a new bank in British Columbia."
....
March 20, 1991: The RCMP confirms Vander Zalm is being investigated regarding a split real estate commission on land next to Fantasy Gardens. A separate investigation by the attorney-general's ministry is under way involving a liquor licence at the theme park.

March 21, 1991: Vander Zalm refuses to talk about his political future after learning a special prosecutor has been appointed to oversee two investigations involving Fantasy Gardens. The lawyer for Faye Leung, the real estate agent hired to sell the theme park, releases taped telephone conversations Leung said took place between her and the premier in December. For much of the 25-minute tape, Leung harangues the premier over delays in receiving money for her sales work.
...
April 2, 1991: Hughes' report is released and Vander Zalm resigns after being found to have clearly violated conflict guidelines.

[mezzanine]

And believe it or not, there are benefits to the HST. If people don't believe it they can vote in the 2011 initiative or launch recall intitiatives earlier, and we'll see what a new govt will do...

Ontario will benefit if B.C. kills controversial HST: McGuinty

Premier Dalton McGuinty says Ontario will benefit if British Columbia decides to kill its controversial harmonized sales tax.

He says it will give Ontario — which also implemented the HST on July 1 — a competitive advantage.

His comments come after the B.C. government promised to scrap the unpopular HST if a majority of people in that province vote to repeal it.

B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell says he'll forego official rules and turn next September's referendum into an election-style simple majority vote on the future of the tax.

That vote will happen during Ontario's next provincial election campaign, which Mr. McGuinty says will be Ontario's referendum on the HST.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...42/?cmpid=rss1

[whatnext]

Not sure I'd hold Dalton McGuinty up as an example of fiscal knowledge. ONT is so deeply mired in deficit financing they'll never get out. Whether you agree with the HST or not, the referendum is a triumph for grassroots democracy.

[mezzanine]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Not sure I'd hold Dalton McGuinty up as an example of fiscal knowledge. ONT is so deeply mired in deficit financing they'll never get out.

Well, you can ask KPMG:

http://www.kpmg.com/RO/en/IssuesAndI...20on%20Tax.pdf

Regarding place parsed it nicely:

Unexpectedly, both Seattle and Portland lag Vancouver in tax competitiveness. A KPMG study released in May rated Vancouver the most competitive out of 41 cities studied, with Montreal and Toronto garnering 4th and 5th places. By contrast, Seattle rated 18th and Portland 26th, although it was about average for the U.S. cities studied.

Or even the Georgia Straight

While the negative impacts of the HST have garnered much attention, Ken Ghag, executive director for commodity tax at Ernst & Young, told the Straight that the film and television industries will benefit from the taxation change.
...
film-production companies—as well as suppliers of catering and lighting—that are currently paying seven-percent PST on rental equipment, props, costumes, and other goods will be able to recover the 12-percent HST after July 1.
...
The film-production industry would have before been registered for the provincial sales tax and would have been doing some self-assessing of provincial sales tax for costumes and equipment brought from other provinces [or the U.S.] into British Columbia.…And they would have to self-assess provincial sales tax on all that equipment. Well, they’re no longer going to have to do that whole compliance process..

[WarrenC12]

HST is the right way to go. Horribly executed by the BC Government. The solution here is to recall MLAs, but at the same time pass the referendum and keep the tax.

That being said, I have yet to be convinced the NDP would be a better choice at this time.

Vanderzalm makes me laugh. I forgive the younger people, but anybody around during his "leadership" is probably taking everything recently with a grain of salt. It's clear he misled people with his petition.

"Faaaaaaantastic!"

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by mezzanine

Well, you can ask KPMG:

http://www.kpmg.com/RO/en/IssuesAndI...20on%20Tax.pdf

Regarding place parsed it nicely:


Or even the Georgia Straight

Well, no offence to those in the film industry, but it doesn't seem to be able to make a go of it without various tax credits. Why should I be jumping for joy Gordo has offloaded some of the tax burden from businesses onto ordinary people? I notice Gordo is now hinting at some sort of tax cut as an attempt to distract people from his continued habit of lying to the electorate. He's well past his best before date. Time for him to go.

[mezzanine]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Well, no offence to those in the film industry, but it doesn't seem to be able to make a go of it without various tax credits. Why should I be jumping for joy Gordo has offloaded some of the tax burden from businesses onto ordinary people?

Then I am sure that everyone would be pleased if we halted tax credits to support our film, digital and gaming industry, as I am sure that the next government will do. Or they will not.

Personally, I agree with the Georgia Straight (never think i'd say that, twice...)

The B.C. government has finally decided to support the video-game industry with tax credits. It’s good news for Vancouver’s developers, even if the government still doesn't appear to fully appreciate the video-game industry.
...
The Straight asked Hansen why the government had waited so long to introduce financial support for the video-game industry. “It’s only now that we’re really starting to see that convergence,” he said, “and the inter-relationship between the video-game industry and the film and motion picture industry and the animation sector.”
...
Leaving aside the impact of the economic slowdown, provinces such as Quebec and Ontario have been ratcheting up the tax breaks being offered to developers—Quebec’s labour tax credit is 37.5 percent and Ontario’s is 35 percent—and foreign markets such as China have a wealth of skilled and cheap labour.

====================
And this is off-topic, but as an urbanist, I am a strong support of the gaming industry and its effects on a city...

Respawned: How video games revitalize cities

...The industry's deeper impact, however, comes from how it transforms — for the better — the places it touches. The average salary in the industry is $68,000 and the average age is 32, according to ESAC. Combine those factors and you have a lot of big spenders.

"People in the games industry are heavy consumers. They love the gadgets and electronics, they love getting the latest TVs," says Dan Sochan, a video game producer at Vancouver's United Front Games. "We generally work a lot of long hours so we have a lot of meals out. They become very active in their neighbourhoods, [leading to] restaurants and pubs."

[mezzanine]

Originally Posted by whatnext

I notice Gordo is now hinting at some sort of tax cut as an attempt to distract people from his continued habit of lying to the electorate. He's well past his best before date. Time for him to go.

Fair enough, but to be replaced by what? Is the HST without merit? Has the opposition articulated what they will do instead of the HST?

[djmk]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Why should I be jumping for joy Gordo has offloaded some of the tax burden from businesses onto ordinary people?

who do you think works and owns these businesses? it is ordinary people. walk up and down the street (hastings, the Drive etc) and check out all those little stores. those stores are owned and operated by individuals and families who have the guts to go and do it themselves.

and businesses pay corporate tax. a lot of it. and they pay your EI + CPP as well.

[ozonemania]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

HST is the right way to go. Horribly executed by the BC Government. The solution here is to recall MLAs, but at the same time pass the referendum and keep the tax.

That being said, I have yet to be convinced the NDP would be a better choice at this time.

Vanderzalm makes me laugh. I forgive the younger people, but anybody around during his "leadership" is probably taking everything recently with a grain of salt. It's clear he misled people with his petition.

"Faaaaaaantastic!"

Agreed on pretty well everything you said!

Part of me wants to blame this on Steve Harper. I know, I have no real basis for this accusation. He's like a big giant grey dark cloud over the whole country and people are miserable.

What's happening to Campbell right now is a shame. Sure he's not perfect, and how he's handled the HST controversy since it was announced has been poor. But do I think he warrants the level of unpopularity he has now? No.

This government has done so much for this province. It's turned it from a have-not province where businesses and jobs were trying to find ways to get out of the province (why do you think downtown Vancouver has no CBD?), to the point where we are now in a good position to attract businesses and jobs.

People are saying, 'oh, big business this, big business that -- they just want to pander to big business and want to screw everyone else'. Really tho, we have no big business here in BC. It's mostly made up of small and medium sized businesses (on the national and international scale), that are trying to build the economy here in BC. Our 'big business' are not that far apart from you and me. These are the people too that create jobs for you and me and put money in our wallets. Sheesh.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by mezzanine

Fair enough, but to be replaced by what? Is the HST without merit? Has the opposition articulated what they will do instead of the HST?

NDP would axe it, costing the $1.6B the Feds gave us, then crank the minimum wage up to $10/hr. Ask the restaurant industry what they'd prefer.