1054 replies to this topic

[yodsaker]

What a place we've come to when The Zalm is trusted more than The Gordo!
I have no doubt about the sincerity of anti-HSTers and wish them well. I just don't want to see them used as pawns in The Zalm's camera-seeking self-glorification.

[victorian fan]

Raeside

[Fighthstvictoria]

All ridings are above the 10% required by Elections BC. 6 of 7 have met/exceeded the FIGHT HST targets of 15%

see for yourself here... http://fighthst.com/numbers/



oh...and in regards to Healthcare dollars. Hogwash. It's general revenue money, and about 60-70 cents of every dollar goes to healthcare out of the general revenues. Remember the Gov't claiming this is 'revenue neutral'....it's NOT new money, it's shifting it from the businesses to the consumers. The healthcare was a lame sugarcoating spin to try and sell it.

[Bernard]

Actually 16 ridings have not yet passed the 10% number. 51, or 60% have achieved the 15% number, not 6 of 7.

The campaign is just about halfway and 7 ridings have reached 50% of their target and 2 have not even managed 5% of the voters, these two are on the west side of Vancouver.

There is a moderate chance they might miss in one to five ridings.

[VicHockeyFan]

Actually 16 ridings have not yet passed the 10% number. 51, or 60% have achieved the 15% number, not 6 of 7.

I think he was referring to the Island ridings, or lower Island ridings.

[Bernard]

as of this morning, the campaign has 6297 canvassers, that is 74 per riding. This is actually more people than the number of active volunteers either the NDP or Liberals had in the 2009 election.

This could very well be the ground work for the creation of a functional populist party to the right of the Liberals, something like the Reform Party was in the early 1990s.

[Barra]

You only will pay HST only on a brand new condo or house and even then you will get a rebate of $26,250 HST paid on the first $525K

As a business owner, I am all for the HST, but on a personal level I'm not that crazy about it, especially since I will have to pay an extra 7% on my restaurant/coffee tab.

I've since learned that the HST does not apply to 'used' houses, but only to new ones. The 7% that the Realtor was referring to applies to the Realtor's fees.

(and as to another comment, yes, I am quite aware that there are some who only charge 1%)

[Mike K.]

I doubt the rebates will last long. Their reason for existence is to sweeten the deal and ease the switch, but in a few years time when coffers start feeling another pinch we'll be shedding them like no tomorrow.

[VicHockeyFan]

CFAX did an hour-long special last night with pretty much all their guests admitting the thing is a good idea. I see they didn't convince many.

In fact I've yet to hear any economist or big-picture business person say it is bad.

http://cfax1070.com/...s.php?poll=1587

Polls

Politics aside, do you think the HST is a good idea based solely on financial merits?
Answer Votes %
Yes 62 28%
No 161 72%
Total: 223 100%

[Rob Randall]

Our condo is trying to get our window washing and fireplace inspections scheduled before the new tax takes effect.

[VicHockeyFan]

Our condo is trying to get our window washing and fireplace inspections scheduled before the new tax takes effect.

I'd simply tell the contractors you can do it before or after July 1sy, but you will pay them $x including all tax.

[sebberry]

Our condo is trying to get our window washing and fireplace inspections scheduled before the new tax takes effect.

We already budgeted for the increase in Febuary. But of course thanks to Colin Hansen's theory of "trickle down economics", the services themselves will be cheaper anyway. So if you haven't budgeted for it already, not to worry, the companies will simply pass the savings on to you

[VicHockeyFan]

We already budgeted for the increase in Febuary. But of course thanks to Colin Hansen's theory of "trickle down economics", the services themselves will be cheaper anyway. So if you haven't budgeted for it already, not to worry, the companies will simply pass the savings on to you

They will. That's how a free economy works. Just ask Walmart. They could ask suppliers to lower their prices, then pocket the difference, but they don't. Neither does any other company that stays in business. How much was your first TV? Your first VCR or DVD player or computer?

My first TV was 20" in 1981 and cost $450.

By the reasoning of lots of people, when TVs became cheaper, the retailer would have kept pocketing the money. They didn't.

[sebberry]

They will. That's how a free economy works. Just ask Walmart. They could ask suppliers to lower their prices, then pocket the difference, but they don't. Neither does any other company that stays in business. How much was your first TV? Your first VCR or DVD player or computer?

My first TV was 20" in 1981 and cost $450.

By the reasoning of lots of people, when TVs became cheaper, the retailer would have kept pocketing the money. They didn't.

How much cheaper will the drinks at your bar get?

I go to the Keg with some friends every Tuesday and they just put the prices of appetizers up. Even if they come down thanks to the HST (which they won't) it'll be back to where it was before.

The savings to companies (especially service companies who are purchasing far fewer items for resale than retailers) will be small.

[VicHockeyFan]

How much cheaper will the drinks at your bar get?

I don't have a bar. But when I worked for one, our drinks were consistently 35% cheaper than the Irish Times.

It had nothing to do with our cost of liquor. We paid the same as Irish Times. And we paid higher wages (all Irish Times and B&B servers make minimum age).

There is a lot more to it than the 12% HST raising prices a sudden 7%.

[LJ]

Anyone that says they will stop doing things they do now after the tax comes in are deluding themselves. It is no different than gas taxes, everybody rails against them but at the end of the day - you pay them.

To have a poll and ask people if they are in favour of a new tax will garner a very predictable response every time. Nobody wants to pay any taxes period.

The lower income families will get rebates and income tax breaks to mitigate any increase they might pay but don't let facts get in the way of good theatre.

I find it interesting in every issue of the paper there are stories of people fighting the good fight to get rid of the HST and right beside that story is one about some group protesting about "cuts" to some program or other. Where do these folks thing the money comes from. Take a look at Greece and you will find what happens when you give every voter what they want. No thanks.

Everybody has their favourite hobby horse where they think all tax dollars should go. I love the reports about some government program or largess and there will be someone quoted as saying; just think how many hospital beds we could open, or how many homeless we could shelter, or how many assisted living spaces we could open, or or or!

It is government's job to take in a certain amount of money that does the least harm to the largest number of people and then try to prioritise where they are going to spend that money.

I know there are lots of things I would cut if I were king for a day, but you can be guaranteed they are not the same things you might cut, or fund.

You elect a government to do this for you, to try to be as fair as possible, some are a little too fair and spend too much money on things the majority of people don't want and others don't spend enough on things the majority of people want. They eventually get voted out of office and you hope the next iteration will try to meander somewhere close to the centre line.

There is only one pot of money and we are it. If you want more services, be prepared to pay more taxes. I would rather keep more of my money and spend it on things I want and just let the government take care of the absolute necessities, but that's just me.

[arfenarf]

I'm neutral to faintly-negative on the tax itself.

I'm seriously choked about the lying and election shenanigans that preceded the announcement of the tax.

This system only works if an informed citizenry votes on a platform that really represents a party's position and plans. But this business of switcheroo after the polls close shows a hopelessly cynical disregard for the people.

I despair, because it works. There will be largesse and jobs galore 12 months before the next election and we'll have forgotten. Again.

So, I don't object to HST so terribly much because of my pocketbook. But I deeply, viscerally reject the arrogant, high-handed, lying b*astards who are taking us for a ride at the expense of genuine democratic process.

[Bingo]

I'm neutral to faintly-negative on the tax itself.

This system only works if an informed citizenry votes on a platform that really represents a party's position and plans. But this business of switcheroo after the polls close shows a hopelessly cynical disregard for the people.

Much like not having a platform to build a new Johnson Street bridge, and then out of the blue trying to rush the project through. That notion was halted by a petition of the citizens of Victoria.

[sebberry]

I think we should launch a VV "Price study".

We'll make a list of common items and their prices and see if the prices drop over the next 12 months.

[VicHockeyFan]

I think we should launch a VV "Price study".

We'll make a list of common items and their prices and see if the prices drop over the next 12 months.

That's a great idea, seberry.