The people have their say…finally.
I dislike any unnecessary tax and firmly believe we pay way too much as it is. But people that research the pros and cons agree that the HST is better than the PST.
So while you now get a break on your haircut, taxes will once again be buried in most other things you purchase, leading to higher prices overall. But that is the will of the people.
I can see the headlines on April 2nd: Goverment thwarts AntiHST efforts by instating GST on everything the HST affected, and adds GST to diapers, milk, vegetables. In an unrelated story, liberal office politicians provided a %16 raise in salary.
[quote=“crazy Horse”]I dislike any unnecessary tax and firmly believe we pay way too much as it is. But people that research the pros and cons agree that the HST is better than the PST.
So while you now get a break on your haircut, taxes will once again be buried in most other things you purchase, leading to higher prices overall. But that is the will of the people.[/quote]
Higher than they already are??? Haha Since the HST hit the cost of food went through the roof!
[quote=“MeepMeepZoom”]
[quote=“crazy Horse”]I dislike any unnecessary tax and firmly believe we pay way too much as it is. But people that research the pros and cons agree that the HST is better than the PST.
So while you now get a break on your haircut, taxes will once again be buried in most other things you purchase, leading to higher prices overall. But that is the will of the people.[/quote]
Higher than they already are??? Haha Since the HST hit the cost of food went through the roof![/quote]
There is no HST on groceries.
Ok, clearly you don’t understand the whole thing.
GST is Federal, so your scenario doesn’t make sense.
[quote=“crazy Horse”]
Higher than they already are??? Haha Since the HST hit the cost of food went through the roof!
There is no HST on groceries.[/quote]
thats a rather disingenuous statement. hst applies to many food items that some people consider groceries.
I have a feeling that:
- You never check your receipt
- Only your wife buys groceries
or
- You don’t know what “harmonize” means
[quote=“PLA”]
I have a feeling that:
- You never check your receipt
- Only your wife buys groceries
or
- You don’t know what “harmonize” means[/quote]
Yeah I don’t include junk food.
I do check my receipts.
I buy groceries too.
I do know what harmonized means.
But if you consider Fritos to be groceries, well there you go.
[quote=“jesus”]
Higher than they already are??? Haha Since the HST hit the cost of food went through the roof![/quote]
There is no HST on groceries.
thats a rather disingenuous statement. hst applies to many food items that some people consider groceries.
I would like to see an example of where “the cost of food went through the roof” as it applies to the HST.
[quote=“crazy Horse”]
[quote=“jesus”]
Higher than they already are??? Haha Since the HST hit the cost of food went through the roof![/quote]
There is no HST on groceries.[/quote]
thats a rather disingenuous statement. hst applies to many food items that some people consider groceries.
I would like to see an example of where “the cost of food went through the roof” as it applies to the HST.
eh the carbon tax is more to blame than hst but adding hst to food items didnt help.
[quote=“jesus”]
eh the carbon tax is more to blame than hst but adding hst to food items didnt help.[/quote]
Yeah, I agree about the carbon tax. As I said before, I think we are taxed way too much. And I take no enjoyment defending a system of tax, I only bring it up because Bill Vander Zalm did a pretty slick sell job. But it is done, and I won’t lose any sleep over it.
So by the end of the month, I have to buy a new till. And reprogrsm the accounting software. Calculate two taxes, and remit them separately.
I will also have to pay PST on anything we’re not reselling, so upgrading equipment is going to cost 7% more.
GUESS WHO’S GOING TO PAY FOR THAT?
I don’t have the capital to buy all the equipment needed to upgrade the bandwidth and transmitters by the end of the month. The users cost will have to go up.
The BC Liberals were both underhanded enough to bring in the HST after sayng they wouldn’t and nutless enough to not defend it.
Obviously, there is some clear denial in exactly how the HST is being applied.
-
Everyone from the fruit picker employer, to the kid in QA who pisses on your apples, to the trucker, to the second trucker compounds HST. Everyone raises their prices because the HST must be paid in the chain, and that reduces cash flow. I don’t know one business owner that likes that. ITC’s? Who cares. I’ll get those back but not until next year. Purex Double Rolls: Now normal price $12.99 or $13.99 when not on sale. Three years ago that was $8.99. If you think the same scenario doesn’t play out on food for logistics costs, prove it.
-
If you don’t know your own equipment to keep costs low or purchase equipment and inventory systems that can be changed, perhaps you need to look into that. Who’s going to pay? You are. That’s the cost of doing business. That’s also the cost of holding up democracy in this particular instance. People are tired of getting legistlation rammed down our throats.
-
It’s rather humerous to hear that if you find the cost of grocieries have gone up, you eat junk food. So, I’m a slob if I disagree with the mind-numbingly simple concept of compounded tax? Grocieries, aka things you need from the grociery store for day-to-day living e.g.: toilet paper, dish soap, laundry detergent, meat, juice, diapers, diaper whipes, toothbrushes, shampoo, batteries, band aids, light bulbs, bakery bread etc. etc. etc. At Safeway, it’s $2.99 or $3.49 for a decent loaf of bread. It wasn’t always like that.
My cost of living has gone way up, why don’t you prove how much of an idiot I am, and tell me I am just throwing my money out the window while I am sleeping or something? …by the way, one month after the HST came into effect, my landlord raised my rent - a 1/6th increase.
[quote=“crazy Horse”]
Ok, clearly you don’t understand the whole thing.
GST is Federal, so your scenario doesn’t make sense.[/quote]
You’re right, my typo. I meant to type PST. They’ve already flirted with the idea those dirty politicians.
You don’t compound the HST. You stumbled on a good example.
When I buy asswipe for the can at our store I pay say $10.00 and $1.20 HST. I don’t sell it, staff and customers use it. I then deduct $1.20 from the HST I collect through sales of other stuff. Under the PST regime, I can only deduct 50c off the GST collected. It costs us 70c more.
The HST didn’t make any difference on a loaf of bread - that’s exempt. However if the bakery wants to buy new equipment to make it, it will now cost them 7% more.
If you’re running something big, like a sawmill that’s a real ouch. It’s estimated it will cost the forest industry $140 million more in taxes. How much are new mines going to pay extra?
[quote=“herbie_popnecker”]You don’t compound the HST. You stumbled on a good example.
When I buy asswipe for the can at our store I pay say $10.00 and $1.20 HST. I don’t sell it, staff and customers use it. I then deduct $1.20 from the HST I collect through sales of other stuff. Under the PST regime, I can only deduct 50c off the GST collected. It costs us 70c more.
The HST didn’t make any difference on a loaf of bread - that’s exempt. However if the bakery wants to buy new equipment to make it, it will now cost them 7% more.
If you’re running something big, like a sawmill that’s a real ouch. It’s estimated it will cost the forest industry $140 million more in taxes. How much are new mines going to pay extra?[/quote]
Ding Ding Ding!
This is PRECISELY why the HST is good for business and the economy.
That new industrial dishwasher, new walk-in cooler, new ANYTHING is going to cost small business 7% more now.
^ Take a look at this website, quite frankly makes perfect sense and is in line with what the majority of British Columbians are thinking as well.
There is no doubt that a harmonized sales tax is the way to go, however the items that are subject to taxation and the “blanket” tax rate is not smart when combined with reach of the taxation.
It DOES reduce consumption. Throw out your business and economic degrees and use your common sense, critical thinking, is what I say to myself.
[quote=“MeepMeepZoom”]^ Take a look at this website, quite frankly makes perfect sense and is in line with what the majority of British Columbians are thinking as well.
There is no doubt that a harmonized sales tax is the way to go, however the items that are subject to taxation and the “blanket” tax rate is not smart when combined with reach of the taxation.
It DOES reduce consumption. Throw out your business and economic degrees and use your common sense, critical thinking, is what I say to myself.
fighthst.com/hst-or-pst-the-truth-about-the-hst/[/quote]
I am not saying the tax is perfect…more exemptions should have been made to cover those previous exemptions under the PST (and not all of them, some should not have been exempted under PST to begin with)…however…their is no denying the HST system is better for the economy than the old GST/PST.
Also some of the information on that website is based on half-truths and speculation. It is a spin job against the HST, so I am not surprised at all.
Those that work in tax, finance, industry and small business KNOW the true value of the HST and how much better of a tax it is (soon to be was) than the PST/GST combo.
for the majority of items that the consumer purchases HST lowered their selling costs which helps consumers, yes hst on restaurants does hurt consumers in the short run, as for renovations yes paying hst on the labour hurts but then you don’t have to pay the hidden tax, ie pst, on the material it probably comes out even for the consumer, and for accountants, really how many times do you see them as a non business? once a year?
now that the PST is back the consumers will be paying more for the same goods thanks to the PST being hidden and marked up along the chain since business’s don’t get it back. simple math will prove this out
I have to say, I am utterly dumbfounded that people can have such wildly differing experiences in the same province, in the same economy.
IT would be interesting for someone to speculate on why the cost of living has gone up for what seems to be so dramatically. At the end of the day I’m happy to see that the citizens who drive our economy, are not burdened further so “businesses” can prosper. Don’t get me wrong, once upon a time I was a small business owner, and I have to say, I don’t agree with anyone’s quams with the HST because when I went into business, I learned my operation in and out and there are lots of write offs for any equipment you buy. I learned accounting and my till, inventory and billing system.
Of course everyone’s “speculation” on the compounded function of the HST is the curious part. Maybe the gov will do a study on how businesses applied the ITC’s and equipment purchase function of the HST to see if the businesses acted in a way consistent with analyst speculation and forecasting.
On April 1st, I’m going to go get a haircut, whether I need one or not. Might drop by a resteraunt with my family. Because I agree with the reinstatement of the PST/GST system. I just hope they don’t go sideways and instate the total PST/GST on the same items because then I’ll keep my money in my pocket. That’s my money, I work hard for it. There is a line - and the HST crossed it.