Editor:
Contrary to Tom Fletcher’s assertions, the HST doesn’t “fix” anything. It does shift taxes from corporations to consumers.
The Independent Panel on the HST has released its report, It’s Your Decision, and the panel - after careful consideration has concluded that in 2011/12: Because more things are taxed than before — including newly built homes — families now pay a total of $1.33 billion more in sales tax after HST rebates and tax breaks are taken into account.
Businesses will pay about $730 million less in taxes.
This certainly sounds like big business will benefit more from the HST than consumers. Of course, businesses like restaurants, hair salons, builders of new homes are all negatively affected by the HST.
Even the local credit union, and your doctor will be affected because they will have to pay HST on items they buy to provide services — but they don’t qualify for HST rebates.
All in all, the HST is a bad tax, enacted by a government who lied to us, saying they weren’t going to create it, and precisely at a time when the economy was still recovering and we didn’t need new taxes.
Bob Smits
Ladysmith