Quote:
Originally Posted by WarrenC12
Yes 10% Liquor tax was replaced by the HST increase (which is technically 7%), but the liquor board increased prices to compensate. My friend runs a bar and gave me the details. So net is the same to the government really.
My visit to Europe was extremely enlightening with respect to pricing. Sticker prices included taxes and were always round numbers.. 2, 3, 4 Euros for something.
At the end of the day, who cares who gets what share of the $2 I spend on a pizza slice.
|
WRT the liquor tax, the thing is the control board raises prices so the cost of purchase for a restaurant is the same as it was before. But for the end customer, they should end up paying less on alcohol purchases at restaurants than they did before. The change to HST had a net zero effect at the distribution branch, but had the effect of lowering the tax on the consumer's side by 3%. Everyone's liquor bill at restaurants should be cheaper now, and the restaurants should be making the same as they did before off booze.
I also agree that with the move to HST, it should have been put into law that all displayed prices should include all applicable tax. Why should I look in a menu, then have to figure out the tax to see if I'm spending too much. It would also be helpful at the super market, so that I don't have to look at a price, and then figure out if there is going to be tax on that item or not. People should just be able to look at a price on the shelf or menu, and pay that price at the till. Show them how much they paid in tax on their receipt.
I would also like to see restaurants suck it up and pay their valued employees more so they don't feel like TIPS are their due salary. TIPS should be a reward for good service, not expected to cover the cost of employment. For too long TIPS have been treated like a 15% restaurant duty, and not an optional reward for good service, and I think service in the lower mainland has diminished drastically because too many waiters feel the tip is a guarantee. Sorry, but it's not. You have to work hard to get extra money from me. And I think with the HST and people being more discretionary with their money, that's starting to happen.