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A voter’s look at HST ‘baffle gab’

HST

To the editor;

I read the “vote no” signs sprouting up here and there where the signage suggests voting no is a vote for lower taxes.

American showman P.T. Barnum said “There is a sucker born every minute.”

This “no” advertising campaign is pure unadulterated baffle gab in search of those suckers.

Prior to HST, British Columbians did not pay provincial taxes on labour and oodles of other provincial goods and services that, under HST, we now pay taxes on.

So let’s get this straight — if we vote no to keep HST, we will still be paying taxes on labour and goods and services that, under the old provincial PST system, we never paid taxes on prior to HST, so how in holy blue blazes and a heap of fresh cow dung is voting no paying less taxes?

This vote no advertising campaign is a smoke and mirrors campaign — bribe some folks and confuse others into thinking that in a couple of years they will be paying less taxes, and some may actually believe this hogwash.

The bunko ad people of the government are trying to convince some into thinking paying any HST — whether it be paying the current seven per cent on previously untaxed provincial goods and services, or some years later paying a reduced five-per cent tax on previously untaxed provincial goods and services — is going to save us money. Get real.

Paying any HST, with a no vote, is still paying more taxes than we were prior to the HST, and that is the bottom line.

Under HST, regardless the flim flummery, the government cannot give us back enough cash and reduce the HST to compensate for our overall income loss under any form of HST. The government must really think the population is gullible, stupid, and damn dumb.

Vote yes to extinguish the HST and vote yes for lower taxes.

With no political affiliations, I can tell the world that if I were running for public office, I would not suggest for one minute anybody vote no to keep the HST.

Doug Wilson

Williams Lake