HST referendum results in B.C.

[glengine]

Well the results are in from the hst referendum and by a vote of 54.73% yes to a 45.27% no, the hst has been defeated. So we are heading back to a gst/pst tax sytem. Not a good thing for businesses in BC. It will mean that you pay less for your meals and such at restaurants as it will cost a little less. But now the prov govt has to pay the federal govt back 1.6billion dollars.

 

[Pinner]

That's what happens when people vote with emotion, not education.(read losers) We can not afford this... F!!! Oh well, be careful what you vote for next time loser, you'll see.

 

[JaySimon]

But now the prov govt has to pay the federal govt back 1.6billion dollars.

So frustrating. Has they have mentioned it coming in before the election, and capped it at 10%, people may have been way more receptive. Now, we're on the hook for a bunch of cash. Damn shame it didn't get brought in a different way, as it sure riled up the BC voters.

Something positive to pull from it; democracy works. That and I doubt other politicions will pull an underhanded stunt like this in the future.

 

[glengine]

I absolutely agree that is wasn't brought in the proper way. Only approx 55% of bc residents voted from what i've heard.

 

[eclipse1966]

That's what happens when people vote with emotion, not education.(read losers) We can not afford this... F!!! Oh well, be careful what you vote for next time loser, you'll see.

totally agree people did not cast an educated vote on this one and now this takes us backwards. This is the result of pure stupidity by the liberal government by the way they brought it on. If they had sold it to the people first instead of the way they did we would have not had this result. Oh well back to keep records for two taxes again grrrrrrrrrrr!

 

[JaySimon]

I absolutely agree that is wasn't brought in the proper way. Only approx 55% of bc residents voted from what i've heard.

I fully agree, had the public been slowly brought around to the idea, we may be more accepting. I see the benefit for business as to why they would want it, but to this day, I sure don't see the pros. They had touted that costs will drop to the end consumer, and frankly, I've found the opposite. These savings were pocketed by these companies. Mind you, I would be inclined to do the same, as that is how business is run, to make money.

In the end, we're taxed to the max out here, and raising the cost for individuals and families was never going to be a popular idea.


One thing I wish I knew, is where is this 'carbon tax' going? I have sent messages to my local MLA many times, and have yet to get a response. 'It's a zero sum tax' being the general response. Well, fine, but if money is coming in, and going out in the same numbers, WHERE IS IT GOING?

I wish politicians were honest.

 

[glengine]

Another thing is the fact that now it means double the paperwork for busionesses to submit taxes. And by i beleive next may they are raising the minimum wage in bc to just over 10.00/hr unless you are a beverage server then it's gonna be 9.00/hr i beleive. So i can see where alot of things are going to get more expensive for the end consumer because of the cost of doing business going up.

 

[JaySimon]

Another thing is the fact that now it means double the paperwork for busionesses to submit taxes. And by i beleive next may they are raising the minimum wage in bc to just over 10.00/hr unless you are a beverage server then it's gonna be 9.00/hr i beleive. So i can see where alot of things are going to get more expensive for the end consumer because of the cost of doing business going up.

Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate why small business would be all for the HST. In the end, I would have been okay with keeping it, my main concern was the way it was introduced. Hell, had they have taken an approach of education first, they could have kept the 12%, rather than trying to make concessions to keep it (Bringing it down to 10%). At first glance, I was opposed, but did some reading, and changed my tune, a bit. Min. wage going to 10$ will definately cost me money, I live in a tourist town. But to be fair, it's pretty tough to live on your own in BC making 8$ an hour.

Sorry for rambling...

 

[eclipse1966]

Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate why small business would be all for the HST. In the end, I would have been okay with keeping it, my main concern was the way it was introduced. Hell, had they have taken an approach of education first, they could have kept the 12%, rather than trying to make concessions to keep it (Bringing it down to 10%). At first glance, I was opposed, but did some reading, and changed my tune, a bit. Min. wage going to 10$ will definately cost me money, I live in a tourist town. But to be fair, it's pretty tough to live on your own in BC making 8$ an hour.

Sorry for rambling...

its impossible to live on your own at $8 bucks an hr. Cant even do it on $10. My 21 year old daughter lives in Kelowna and you cant touch an apartment or decent suite for less than $1,000 bucks a month so she has 2 room mates to bring the cost down. Then add gas and food etc etc not much left.

 

[Got boost want snow]

Love to visit the province but it is named right BC "BRING CASH". Government for the province has always been dictated by the lower mainland. Sorry for all your troubles there.

 

[WCTHEMI]

its impossible to live on your own at $8 bucks an hr. Cant even do it on $10. My 21 year old daughter lives in Kelowna and you cant touch an apartment or decent suite for less than $1,000 bucks a month so she has 2 room mates to bring the cost down. Then add gas and food etc etc not much left.

That's not just a BC thing, sad thing for someone to work full time and barely have enough to get by.

 

[andystepper]

dont worry..its the same way down in southeast sask also. its starting to become that if you don't work in the oilfield you dont own anything. rent is over 1000 a month for a one bedroom slum and the average 800sq foot home that is 80years old is 250,000

 

[Steve D]

55% of the population can never again complain about taxes as they voted for higher taxes.

 

[btcowboy]

Yup dumb asses dont realize what they have done. It will be all of us that pay for it in the end. And you are right Steve D, but I can gaurantee you they will.

 

[Snowdin]

Just a bit off topic folks but wanted to hear from you BC'ers. Some friends from Fort St. John stopped in for the night and said BC lowered the legal alcohol limit to .05% and that the RCMP could use their discretion on impounding vehicles. As a result the cops are impounding vehicles for 24 hours and issuing fines if you have even .01%. He says the pubs and restaurants are going out of business because no one can go out and have a glass of wine with supper without losing your vehicle for 24 hours and getting huge fines. He said they stalk you when leaving the restaurant. Seems like a pretty harsh gestapo type place to live.

 

[Pinner]

Just a bit off topic folks but wanted to hear from you BC'ers. Some friends from Fort St. John stopped in for the night and said BC lowered the legal alcohol limit to .05% and that the RCMP could use their discretion on impounding vehicles. As a result the cops are impounding vehicles for 24 hours and issuing fines if you have even .01%. He says the pubs and restaurants are going out of business because no one can go out and have a glass of wine with supper without losing your vehicle for 24 hours and getting huge fines. He said they stalk you when leaving the restaurant. Seems like a pretty harsh gestapo type place to live.

Depends what you consider to be harsh. Have you ever been first on the scene to a fatal car wreck ? I have, it's harsh...

VICTORIA — The number of drunk-driving deaths in B.C. has dropped by half since the province introduced tougher laws last year.

The provincial government announced Monday that in the first seven months of the new legislation -- the toughest impaired-driving law in Canada -- the province recorded 30 impaired-related driving deaths.
The average for the same period over the previous five years was 61.
The new rules came into effect in September 2010, giving police the ability to impound cars and hand out hefty fines to individuals whose blood-alcohol level was higher than .05 -- lower than the .08 legal limit under the Criminal Code.
Bars and restaurants initially complained that the strict rules had dried up their business, because members of the public were too afraid to have a single drink on a night out.
But Ian Tostenson of the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association says these are sobering statistics, and he now supports the law.

Drunk-driving deaths drop by half under new B.C. law - CTV News


Back on topic: Just watching the news, Kieth Baldrey just reported this tax increase will cost 3 billion to reinstate and hurt the economy...

 

[eclipse1966]

Just a bit off topic folks but wanted to hear from you BC'ers. Some friends from Fort St. John stopped in for the night and said BC lowered the legal alcohol limit to .05% and that the RCMP could use their discretion on impounding vehicles. As a result the cops are impounding vehicles for 24 hours and issuing fines if you have even .01%. He says the pubs and restaurants are going out of business because no one can go out and have a glass of wine with supper without losing your vehicle for 24 hours and getting huge fines. He said they stalk you when leaving the restaurant. Seems like a pretty harsh gestapo type place to live.

Yes the legal limit is now down to .05% which is similar to many places around the world. The problem is that it is the RCMP have taken it to far IMO and even setting up traps around local pubs to catch you. This has made the avg Joe nervous because it does not take too much to reach the legal limit. My argument has been that is was not the guy with a limit of .08% causing accidents but those in the double digit. Oh well this is just one more step to becoming a police state where you have to worry if you are going to be tasered or kicked in the chops by a young power hungry cop.

 

[glengine]

Just a bit off topic folks but wanted to hear from you BC'ers. Some friends from Fort St. John stopped in for the night and said BC lowered the legal alcohol limit to .05% and that the RCMP could use their discretion on impounding vehicles. As a result the cops are impounding vehicles for 24 hours and issuing fines if you have even .01%. He says the pubs and restaurants are going out of business because no one can go out and have a glass of wine with supper without losing your vehicle for 24 hours and getting huge fines. He said they stalk you when leaving the restaurant. Seems like a pretty harsh gestapo type place to live.

The .05 is accurate. But they have alway had that, it's just that in the past it was a 24hr where they took your license for 24hrs. From what i understand now if they really want to they can impound your vehicle for 3days at .05. They cant do anything if you blow only .01.

 

[glengine]

The finance minister stated yesterday on the news that there will have to be either spending cuts or generate money from another means. Gee doesn't that just yell out higher taxes.. Maybe they should start makin EVERYONE no matter what race pay taxes the same right across the board in this province, that would generate alot more revenue.

 

[leadfoot33]

i like your thinking glen how about everyone having to pay to go to college or university no matter race and such... hmmmm gotta love the government