Quote:
Originally Posted by tiger_handheld
(Post 6920784)
"Here's an example: Let's say you want to buy a pair of season tickets to the B.C. Lions this year. If you buy that pair of premium seats today, it would cost you $1,302. If you buy that same pair of season tickets May 1, the price jumps to $1,388. In other words, Lions fans, you better start scrambling like Jarious Jackson and pay for those season ducats right now, if you want to save yourself $86."
How about BC Lions discount the tix by $86 after May 1, cuz they will be receiving their "discount" back by HST credit. Cuz in theory that is what the HST is suppose to do - business claims input taxes, and passes the savings to consumer. |
So, there is a major problem with this, and it really annoys me. Not with the poster, but the government pushing this through without proper introduction.
You are never going to see the $86 dollars that we are promised in theory.
I can only really talk from the perspective of my own business. I own a small renovation company.
I pay PST on items and don't charge it. Therefore, I eat PST. In theory, the HST is made for me. I now charge 12%, and collect refunds for 12% on inputs. The problem with your $86 is the the spread between inputs and outputs. It's called profit. I can be a good business owner and say I'm going to pay it forward. I deduct the PST that I paid on your project an change my final bill accordingly.
Keeping the math really simple:
I pay $1000 in materials for a $2000 job. Wow, in my example, I make shit money, but whatever.
Current System
1000 2000
PST 70
GST 50 100
Total 1120 2100
New System
1000 2000
HST 120 240
Total 1120 2240
With HST system, I "make" an extra $70. You pay an extra 120.
I can only "save" you the $70. Meaning you will pay an extra $50.
Here is the big point...am I going to change my prices to the point where I don't lose money, and pass on the PST. No. And no one is. No one will connect that.
They should have made it 10%, and sold it as a lower tax overall. They would have been hailed as revolutionary in their tax reform.
That is the part that frustrates me. Don't tell me that the extra $50 you pay for me to put in a new floor is going to save the economy. People are calling it for what it is, a big ole tax grab because the deficit was supposed to be $500 million, and came back from the accountants at 1.2 billion.