Dear editor,
The BC Liberal “myths” about the HST just keep piling up.
We don't have the budget to fight the lies, we need your help. Keep the message going by forwarding this link to all the people you know and ask them to do the same.
Following is their latest Top Seven — all new and misleading as ever — HST Myths:
1. The HST is now 10 per cent — false. The HST is 12 per cent and will not be 10 per cent for three years — if ever. There will be an election before that, and even if the HST were to miraculously drop to 10 per cent, it would still apply to hundreds more goods and services than a 12 per cent PST/GST for a consumer tax increase of $1.6 billion per year. And who says it won’t go right back up again later?
2. The HST will lower taxes – false. This one is hilarious. The HST increases taxes for British Columbians by $2.8 billion per year. That’s an average annual increase of $500 per person — or $1,208 per average family. Finance Minister Falcon says if his side loses he may disregard the result and expand the PST to items previously exempt — and that’s illegal. Do you really trust this guy to cut the rate if he wins?
3. The HST will save you money — false. And the tooth fairy is going to leave you a quarter under your pillow, too. To get their numbers to show the HST actually “saving” you money they are calculating only “routine purchases” and that 90 per cent of what you pay in HST will be passed back to you in lower prices. Have you seen lower prices? I didn’t think so.
4. The HST benefits seniors — false. Seniors and people on fixed incomes are some of the hardest hit by the HST. A one-time rebate of $175 if you vote in favour of their tax in exchange for paying it for the next 10 to 30 years of your retirement is a deal only a snake oil salesman would offer. Why take $175 when you can vote to cancel the HST and keep all your money? How dumb do they think we are?
5. The HST benefits families — false. Next to seniors, working families are hardest hit by the HST because they are among the largest consumers and have dependent children. Bribes of $175 per child when your cost is closer to $400 a year each makes you wonder if they think all of us failed math as badly as they did. And what about a single mom with two kids going to college? She gets nothing while the premier and finance minister who earn six-figure salaries get the rebate. Nice.
6. Business will pay more so you can pay less — false. A temporary increase of two per cent in corporate taxes will be passed on to consumers with increased prices. Either way you pay the final bill whether it’s in HST or higher prices.
7. We will owe $1.6 billion if we cancel the HST — false. The “independent panel” says the HST generated $850 million more than budgeted. Setting aside that is the biggest tax grab in history, it means government already has $850 million to repay Ottawa. And keeping the HST would cost British Columbians a lot more than killing it – over $28 billion in new taxes in just 10 years.
Vote Yes to extinguish the HST and save your province, your democracy, and your money!
Ron Pearce,
Courtenay