I beg to differ
Re: Editor John Harding's Jan. 8 editorial (Taxes, bullhorns).
After initially admitting that "what follows is a couple of ideas that haven't quite matured," Harding goes on to prove his point.
He cites the Liberals' "poor communication" on their sudden imposition of the HST, that immediately followed their reelection. He blames B.C. voters for rejecting this "good idea" (HST), which they "perceived" to be a deception. Well it was subsequently proven to actually be a deliberate deception.
In another line he claims "The B.C. Liberals wanted to go the progressive, logical route and bring us in line with other provinces" by way of HST. One is lead to presume that we were among the few, backward, laggard provinces who were late to get on the HST boat.
However in checking how many provinces have chosen to embrace the HST, and to relinquish their sovereign right to control their own taxation to boot, it turns out that in fact, most like B.C., have decided against Harper's HST.
Harding also seizes upon the bribe by Christy Clark who sweetened the pot and said the flat tax would go down to 10 per cent from its current 12 per cent — his easy math comment. At this point I suspected Harding of being facetious, or playing a parody on Tom Fletcher, as most saw through Clark's "easy math."
A 10 per cent tax on designated HST items is not less than 12 per cent of GST plus PST on the far fewer designated pre-HST items.
So, here is another deception — not any lack of communication, nor "people being wrong about the nuts and bolts (the tax)" to quote the editorial once again.
Bob Hannay
Errington