Canada Kicks Ass
No GST cut for Toronto

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ridenrain @ Fri Jun 16, 2006 7:54 am

$1:
City to keep GST cut
Looking to save that 1% on golf, parking or cab ride after July 1? You better look again
By ROB GRANATSTEIN, CITY HALL BUREAU

The GST cut is not coming to City of Toronto facilities, programs, parking lots or cabs.

Everything from golf courses to dance classes, recycling boxes to museum admissions will not be cheaper when the GST falls to 6% from 7% on July 1.

Instead, the city will pocket the extra cash.

That's because city staffers are recommending that reducing the GST isn't worth the change.

"Unbelievable," John Williamson of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation said yesterday. "This is meant to be a tax cut that benefits all taxpayers across the country, not go into the pockets of governments."

To reduce the GST, the city would have to change billing systems, websites and printed publications to reflect the new, slightly lower fees, staff reported.

It might also force an amendment to the municipal code or other bylaws.

"Boo-hoo," Williamson said. "Governments never seem to complain when there is a cost to business or individuals when they hike their taxes. It's funny how they sing this song when it's going to benefit taxpayers at large. It's a bad excuse."

But councillor and city budget chief David Soknacki said he agrees with staff that the administrative costs will catch up with any small savings taxpayers might get, wiping out the benefit.

"With any luck we won't have to raise fees as much next year," Soknacki said.

The savings on a round of golf at Don Valley Golf Course would be 52 cents for an adult. The discount for an hour of prime time ice at a rink would be $1.74, and you would save a nickel on the purchase of a recycling box.

The city will reap an extra $148,000 over the six months this year, and an estimated $296,000 in 2007.

The decision has to be approved by council at the end of the month.

By not reducing the GST the Toronto Parking Authority, which operates at arm's length from the city, will be taking in an extra $816,000.

Taxis are not switching because each cabbie would lose a half-day's work getting the meter changed. TTC fares are not subject to GST.


That'll keep them from voting for the Cons! :roll:
source

   



CAGERATTLER @ Sat Jun 17, 2006 4:58 am

ridenrain ridenrain:
$1:
City to keep GST cut
Looking to save that 1% on golf, parking or cab ride after July 1? You better look again
By ROB GRANATSTEIN, CITY HALL BUREAU

The GST cut is not coming to City of Toronto facilities, programs, parking lots or cabs.

Everything from golf courses to dance classes, recycling boxes to museum admissions will not be cheaper when the GST falls to 6% from 7% on July 1.

Instead, the city will pocket the extra cash.

That's because city staffers are recommending that reducing the GST isn't worth the change.

"Unbelievable," John Williamson of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation said yesterday. "This is meant to be a tax cut that benefits all taxpayers across the country, not go into the pockets of governments."

To reduce the GST, the city would have to change billing systems, websites and printed publications to reflect the new, slightly lower fees, staff reported.

It might also force an amendment to the municipal code or other bylaws.

"Boo-hoo," Williamson said. "Governments never seem to complain when there is a cost to business or individuals when they hike their taxes. It's funny how they sing this song when it's going to benefit taxpayers at large. It's a bad excuse."

But councillor and city budget chief David Soknacki said he agrees with staff that the administrative costs will catch up with any small savings taxpayers might get, wiping out the benefit.

"With any luck we won't have to raise fees as much next year," Soknacki said.

The savings on a round of golf at Don Valley Golf Course would be 52 cents for an adult. The discount for an hour of prime time ice at a rink would be $1.74, and you would save a nickel on the purchase of a recycling box.

The city will reap an extra $148,000 over the six months this year, and an estimated $296,000 in 2007.

The decision has to be approved by council at the end of the month.

By not reducing the GST the Toronto Parking Authority, which operates at arm's length from the city, will be taking in an extra $816,000.

Taxis are not switching because each cabbie would lose a half-day's work getting the meter changed. TTC fares are not subject to GST.


That'll keep them from voting for the Cons! :roll:
source



I tried in vain to tell them rhis but CON servative supporters have swallowed SO MUCH B.S. they now won't listen to even common sense!

No sooner was this 1% G.S.T. tax cut proposed when Jean Charest said Quebec was thinking about putting the provincial gas tax up by 1%!!

Probably they'll put the provincial taxes on everything up by 1%?

I think you'll see a lot of the provinces do this!

WOW!!!

   



Zeipher @ Sat Jun 17, 2006 7:07 am

It's not the Tories' fault, blamne the other governments who want to raise taxes.

   



Tricks @ Sat Jun 17, 2006 7:08 am

CAGERATTLER CAGERATTLER:

I tried in vain to tell them rhis but CON servative supporters have swallowed SO MUCH B.S. they now won't listen to even common sense!

No sooner was this 1% G.S.T. tax cut proposed when Jean Charest said Quebec was thinking about putting the provincial gas tax up by 1%!!

Probably they'll put the provincial taxes on everything up by 1%?

I think you'll see a lot of the provinces do this!

WOW!!!
How is this the Conservatives fault?

   



VitaminC @ Sun Jun 18, 2006 8:39 am

Isn't that the plan? Harper said he was going to address the fiscal imbalance in Canada......The inbalance is that the Federal government has huge surpluses, like $8 Billion more than they need.....and most provinces and cities have major debts growing every year...

One solution to this is to lower Federal taxes and raise Provincial taxes, that way Ottawa has less money and the Provinces have more......Remember the Province has to pay for things like Health Care and Education, and Cities have to pay for things like roads.....The Federal government doesn't.

   



SireJoe @ Sun Jun 18, 2006 10:13 am

So how hard is it to change THAT? Why not just keep everything status quo and put that money BACK into the provinces without fucking everything up? I dont see the issue here. If we are going to get screwed by this anyways, by adding to PST, then I would prefer to just keep everything as it was and have the stupid government use its surplus in a productive manner. No matter how you want to look at it, the government will still get the money.

This is just retarded. If this is what will happen, you can chalk this little one up to another government manipulation. Gotta love it.

   



Arrow @ Sun Jun 18, 2006 3:11 pm

And what's everyone gonna do with that windfall penny? Honestly! It's not like they're scrapping the puppy altogether. :roll:

   



Zeipher @ Sun Jun 18, 2006 4:50 pm

Sire, having the money funnelled throguh different levels wastes billions through the administration and burracracy of it all. Not to mention it isn't right to have tax dollars from British Columbia paying for roads in Newfoundland.

As it stands, nothing is being cut because of this, so if you have an issue with your municiplaity raising taxes. In this case specifically, blame the socialists in Toronto city hall.

It should also be cleare that this only applies to Toronto city services. All private entrerprises will be charging 6% GST still, but the public services in the city of Toronto are simply taking that 1% for themselves. (From their own revenues)

   



kitty @ Sun Jun 18, 2006 5:21 pm

$1:
"Governments never seem to complain when there is a cost to business or individuals when they hike their taxes. It's funny how they sing this song when it's going to benefit taxpayers at large. It's a bad excuse."


In the end its hardly about the insignificant savings, its about keeping a promise.

   



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