The BC Liberal/Smart Tax Alliance Top Seven HST Myths
Jun 21, 2011 Details
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% – False
The HST is 12% and will not be 10% for three years – if ever. There will be an election before that, and even if the HST were to miraculously drop to 10% – it will still apply to hundreds more goods and services than a 12% PST/GST for a consumer tax increase of $1.6B 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 $1208 per average family – forever. 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% of what you pay in HST will be passed back to you in lower prices. Have you seen lower prices?… We 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 10-30 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 big six figure salaries get the rebate. Nice.
6. Business will pay more so you can pay less – False
A temporary increase of 2% 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. BC has only received $1B, and Ottawa collected $300M more in corporate taxes under the HST than under the PST. So it’s a wash. And keeping the HST would cost British Columbians alot 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!
Tags: 6b, british columbians, budget, falcon, favour, finance minister, fixed incomes, GST, HST, liberal myths, money, retirement, routine purchases, seniors, snake oil salesman, tooth fairy, working families
Top 18 BC Liberal Myths about the HST – Part II
Sep 30, 2010 Details
Top 18 BC Liberal Myths about the HST – Part II
(Click to download PDF Version)
When the Liberals tried to defeat the citizen Initiative petition, they made a number of false assertions about the tax. So we put out a Top Ten Liberal Myths list to dispel the half truths and misinformation for people. They lost the first debate on the HST, and now they want to have a second. But once again they are making wild assertions that have no grounds in reality. Following are eighteen new myths (yes, they are growing) perpetrated by the BC Liberals:
1. Myth #1 – Getting rid of the HST will cost too much
False – The government claims it must repay a $1.6B “penalty” to the federal government if they cancel the HST. Of course, this is money they never had to begin with, so it’s not a penalty. But to put it in perspective, this amounts to under ¾ of a percent of the $200 billion government will spend over the 5 year term of the HST deal. $1.6B is the price of the new roof for BC Place stadium and one other mega project. But the good news is that Finance Minister Colin Hansen announced on Sept. 20th that he is projecting an unexpected “windfall” to government of $2.7B in higher corporate income taxes. Ironically, the same big business groups that went to court to try to strike down the people’s petition will now be able help pay back the money needed to cancel the HST.
Tags: 7b, bc liberals, business groups, citizen initiative, corporate income taxes, false assertions, finance minister, GST, hansen, hst rates, initiative petition, liberal myths, mega project, misinformation, myth, quebec sales tax, rebates, sovereignty, windfall
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