This letter was sent to MLA Joan McIntyre and copied to The Chief for publication.
Please add my voice and vote to those who are strongly against the forthcoming HST, proposed and imposed by your government without consultation and under the mantle of broken promises.
I had hoped that you would support your constituents, rather than special interests. As you know over 80 per cent of all British Columbians are against this very unfair tax, yet you and your colleagues continue to support it. Why?
To date your government has not proven that it will benefit B.C. You say it will but I have not seen or been given hard facts and figures to demonstrate that.
Of course, it could be argued that the $1.6 billion bribe from the federal government is beneficial. But all I have been given is the government's mantra that it will be beneficial.
Frankly, that is totally inadequate and proves nothing. Especially when I actually add up all the extra costs that I, personally, as a consumer will be incurring as a result of that tax.
This HST (a.k.a. hated stupid tax) means that senior citizens will not be able to afford the occasional coffee or lunch out, let alone fitness recreational classes to preserve their health, and parents with children will struggle harder than ever to afford the very sports or activities that will help keep their kids fit.
This tax will not help ordinary every day citizens and consumers, nor even small to medium-sized businesses (according to their calculations). Any rebates from the government will not cover the full cost of those extra taxes.
Larger businesses, if they do save anything, will not pass on their savings to customers and consumers. Since when have they been known to do so? That's government wishful thinking or cover-up.
At present it is calculated by economists, and validated by no less than former finance minister, Carole Taylor, that over $1.8 billion will passed on from big business to the individual consumer.
How does that help those who are struggling from day to day?
Overall the HST will not be tax-neutral (does your government really think we citizens are so stupid as to buy into that nonsense?). Now, without even waiting for the July 1 deadline, your government has decided to make a grab for taxes on advance purchases, starting May 1.
Thus a gym membership or continuing ed program starting in the fall will be taxed at the higher rate now, two months in advance of the so-called HST deadline. Another broken promise. And I gather Premier Campbell is going to invoke closure to stop debate - one more blow to democracy.
It really is time for MLAslike yourself to start to support the wishes and needs of their constituents and to show thinking that is actually independent of partisan politics.
Increasingly, my observation is that MLAs (and MPs) toe the party line, irrespective of their constituents' needs or wishes. That is an erosion of democracy and is a major contributing factor to an erosion of our support and respect for our elected representatives.
The HST is a symbol of that, over and beyond being just another deceitful tax-grab. British Columbians across party lines, regardless of backgrounds, are showing that enough is enough.
We are sick and tired of being manipulated, lied to, not listened to. We are fed up with being taxed on everything and anything, and being left with less and less to live on. And, normally mild-mannered, we are getting mad.
It is time for you and your colleagues to work for the majority of the electorate and reverse this ideological HST.
T. Carroll
老澳门六合彩开奖记录资料
