HST Poll Comments

Update May 2011 - I found this YouTube video titled "FightFightHST - A Letter to Bill Vander Zalm". It is a bit long but worth listening to ... in my opinion. Cut and paste the following link to listen to it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZXu3LXNwEg&feature=share

Update June 2011 - Deloitte's has an open letter and a video with their views on the BC HST. Both can be found at:

http://www.deloitte.com/view/en_CA/ca/services/tax/future-of-tax/hot-off-the-press/index.htm .

I am also trying to follow the debates being held across the province. If you google "youtube + HST debate", you will get access to the actual debates. Here are some news stories from the Dawson Creek, Prince George, Kamloops, and Kelowna debates:

Tom Fletcher's report on the Kelowna debate

Emile Scheffel's report on the Kamloops debate

Les Lleyne's report on the Prince George and Dawson Creek debates

BC Consumer opposes HST - Against because since HST arrived a year ago I have had my percentage of the taxi fares from my job decrease to cover the %12 tax vs. %5 GST. Things haven't gotten any cheaper, tax saving haven't trickled through to the Consumer. I could say more but typing on my phone kind of sucks.

BC Consumer supports HST - Lower tax.

BC Consumer supports HST - I believe that HST is the way of the future and that it will create chaos to business to go back now to the PST/GST system. I believe it was the right thing introduced the wrong way.

BC Consumer supports HST - I've done the number crunches for myself. I've found out that even as a low income earner, stuff that I may buy every day for $5 is more expensive, but things like my rent and gas are cheaper! Overall I end up with more money, and I get to help out the businesses of BC such as the movie industry by keeping this tax! How is that not a win-win situation!?

Nova Scotia Consumer supports HST - I am opposed to regressive taxes directed heavily towards the working poor and middle class while the rich enjoy exemption and opportunities to circumvent general fairness in taxation. I believe that the VAT equalizes this position just a little where it is imposed on the various goods and services of cash flow, though cash flow in itself tends to weigh more heavily on the poor since the rich enjoy the ability to shelter and save monies outside of immediate taxation.

BC Consumer opposes HST - HST is a tax grab which does nothing to boost our economy. The Liberals are trying everything to convince us by spending our money.

Editor's note: It would be nice to have some objective figures to back up the subjective comment that it "does nothing to boost our economy". Without objective facts, a comment like that has no substance.

BC Consumer opposes HST - Because you (the government?) lied. Now you (the Liberals?) have a new leader, and are doing the same thing. The people are the government and we tell you (the politicians?) what to do. You (the government?) works for us and if you (the Liberals?) don't do what they (the Liberals?) are told they (the Liberals?) will lose the election. Now its up to you.

Editor's note: Whoa ???? Who exactly is "you"???? Do you understand that I am a bookkeeper who publishes this website to assist small business owners doing their books? While I can agree how the tax was introduced was poorly handled, you need to move on from that and decide if HST (one tax) is better tax policy than the GST + PST (two separate taxes). It is my opinion that as soon as Ontario announced they were moving to HST, BC had no choice but to follow. It was just poor timing that it occurred right after an election.

BC Business Owner supports HST - It simplifies the tax collected and deducted.

BC Business Owner opposes HST - I believe there should be more exemptions, such as for safety equipment, food, phone services, school supplies and other basic necessities. I am opposed to the fact that the tax burden has been shifted from businesses, who will pay overall lower taxes, to individuals, who will pay more in tax, particularly if they have middle incomes. If more tax revenue is being collected from more goods and services, why not reduce the total amount to 10%?

Editor's note: It is my understanding that in B.C. HST was designed to be revenue neutral ... meaning the revenue from PST is the same as the revenue from HST after all point of sale rebates are taken into consideration. I assume Ontario's was engineered is a similar fashion. However as the results were analysed by The Independent Panel on the HST chaired by Jim Dining, this was proven not to be true. The tax is now slated to be lowered to 10% over a three year period. Here is an opinion on the wisdom of the rate reduction by Seth Klein - HST and Good Policy

BC Consumer opposes HST - Government does not put things into effect that doesn't benefit them. This HST is costing myself and other individuals money. My meals are more expensive whether I'm at home or eating out as PST has been added to everything GST was on and more.

Editor's note: There is no HST on basic groceries. They are exempt. However, if you buy a lot a of junk food or prepackaged single serving food, then yes there is HST.

BC Business Owner supports HST - HST provides costs savings for lower income bracket people well costing more for higher income bracket people. Since the HST is a consumption tax, the more you spend, the more you are taxed. That's a pretty fair way to tax. The Ontario government provides a report about the tax as well as a chart on how it will affect different income brackets.

Editor's note: Thank you for the link!

Ontario Business Owner supports HST - HST is great! I my consulting business we do a lot of subcontracting and HST saves the day because there's no taxing the tax (double or even triple taxing) nor cascading. The whole EU has VAT, so why shouldn't we have it as well?

BC Consumer supports HST - Because at the end of the day, business expands due to increased input tax credits which should lead to more investment in infrastructure and ultimately jobs and pay scales. I realize this will not happen overnight and am patient. Those that are unpatient will vote against HST!

Ontario Business Owner opposes HST - More money out of my pocket for the government.

Ontario Consumer opposes HST - This is another way to rob the already poor take from people in Canada that are already living day to day without the bare necessities. This is an added cost and stress for seniors, low to medium wage earners. The cost of living is not keeping up to the more the government is taking from us every year - it gets worse, people struggling to pay heat, hydro, groceries this has added increase in cost every month.

Editor's note: It is my understanding that the HST Credit (Provincial Credit) offsets the effects for low income Canadians. In BC for example, under PST, residents received a $75 sales tax credit once a year when they filed their tax return. Now they receive a quarterly credit of up to $230 for individuals. In Ontario, the refundable property tax credit and sales tax credit was $1000 maximum. Under HST, the new sales tax credit and new energy and property tax credit is $1160 maximum.

BC Consumer opposes HST - because the average BC resident - including every man, woman, and child will see an overall annual increase in taxes of roughly C$500 - this is according to the detailed information I have read from the Vander Zalm team.

Editor's note: According to the Fraser Institute this is a myth. They say, "The average family will pay slightly more in sales taxes under the HST. However, the provincial government has introduced personal income tax reductions to offset those increased revenues. As a result, the HST will have almost no impact on the average family’s total tax bill. Neither will the HST affect BC’s Tax Freedom Day." Read more here.

Ontario Business Owner opposes HST - My current filing schedule is based on my payment amount. I file quarterly. My new filing will be monthly, because the amount I will owe, is now well over the limit of paying quarterly. I will lose two months of GST cash flow with this implementation. I also find that there are no appreciable Input Tax Credits for my business, which is mainly a labour service business.

BC Consumer opposes HST - Businesses save $ from not having to pay PST but rarely are these amounts passed onto the consumers. The end result is consumers paying 7% more on meals, haircuts, concerts, etc. HST is supposed to create more jobs but this is tough to measure. Given the economic downturn, the extra 7% is hurting pocketbooks now and the promise of jobs in the future (4, 5 or 10 years from now?) just doesn't cut it.

Editor's note: A March 17, 2011 study shows that businesses are passing on savings to consumers. Read more here.

BC Consumer opposes HST - I work for a Non profit Society. Because of our program diversity, accounting for HST has become far more complicated and timeconsuming than need be. When first announced, trying to get information was almost impossible. Our accountants could not figure it out as there were so many different rules and we have a varied range of programs that we offer. The Provincial Ministries don't have a clue as to whether they should be paying HST on their contracts or not. (Our own provincial government?) You would think they would have had lessons on the HST for their staff so they could tell the Non Profits where to look for information.

Ontario Business Owner opposes HST - As a small business owner, cash flow is my biggest obstacle ... I now must have a full 8% more cash flow to order goods for resale. While I understand that supposedly, I get a portion of that back when I do my returns, it is not in the form of cash, per se which means that I never recoup it in the cash that I've paid out.

BC Business Owner supports HST - Whether we like it or not it is here to stay.

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