That figure does not suprise me at all!
Maybe the Campbell gang just forgot to mention that!

I'm in. Death to the HST

If my math is correct, to spend $1,250 on HST, you would have to spend 17,857.14 on services that you currently pay GST but not PST on (like eating out). To save $2,000 you would have to spend 28,571.43 in a similar fashon.

When I did my personal analysis, just by looking at my spending for the last 3 months, I found I would be spending less than $50 per month extra, $600 per year. I find it hard to accept that seniors, would be spending so much more than myself, as I eat out more than I should.

Have to agree with you Vdesign. The numbers quoted in the article just seem wacky to me and I have no idea how they computed them. They seem way on the high side to me.

Also, when it comes to restaurants I suspect allot of people are going to just tip less so that their total bill stays about where it is now. It will be bad for the servers but I imagine that's what many folks will do to manage the hit on their pocket book.

I'm with you as well. I think people just want to be mad about this, but it's a lot harder to get outraged at something that might cost you $50 more a month maximum. I think the impact of the HST will be a lot less than people think. I don't eat out much, but it certainly will be less under the HST to lessen the impact to my family.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not for the HST, but as I've said before, $1.5B from the feds in transition funding makes this a done deal.

You guys better recheck your numbers. If this was just about restauant meals, why would the Government even bother to implement the tax.

Dont expect millions of dollars in savings to Business, and billions of dollars in additional revenue per year for the Provincial Government not to cost you money.

When you redo your numbers here are a few things that you will be paying an additional 5% on in addition to restaurants.

School Supplies, Health Equipment, Accounting, Funerals, Taxi Fares, Hydro, Telephone, Natural Gas, Haircuts, Movies, Magazines, Airline Tickest, Skiing, Resort Packages, Fast Food, Vitiamins Campgrounds, Fishing charters, Museums, Real Estate Fees, Internet, Hockey Tickets, Theatres, Ferry Fares, Golf Fees, Beverages, Home maintenance, Heating Fuel, bicycles.

This is just a short list. There is a hell of a lot more that this tax will apply on. Anyone who thinks it will cost them less that $1500.00 per year is just fooling themselves.

If your not mad about this tax, then you better start getting mad, because if you dont, then kiss your money goodbye.

I guess anyone that didn't vote NDP because they thought they would tax us to death should feel pretty stupid.

You crack me up Palopu. It's as though you know what people spend their money on more than the people doing the spending. You should change your handle to "The Amazing Palopu". It has a nice ring to it :)

Oh and for the record, I'm fully aware that this tax will cost us more money and I am not in support of it. That said, for me to honestly suggest that it will cost me an extra $1,500 to $2,000 a year is ridiculous. Truth be told, if it did cost me that much more I'd be a happy man because it would mean that I'd have FAR MORE disposable income than I currently do . . . LOL.

The housing market will suffer. I understand pst will be included now subject to a certain price. The real issue for me is how it was handled. We all know it wan't being considered in the last election according to campbell. Now it's the "best thing the government can do boost the economy". What absolute BS. They had 8 years to do the "best thing", now they implement it with no mandate from the BC voters, just like the carbon tax. screw me once, shame on you, screw me twice.....

The tax varies depending on the amount of money you spend and what you spend it on. A retired person, who does very little, would not pay that much in taxes, however a married man with 3 children of school age, two cars that required repairs, insurance, etc; etc; etc; would pay a lot more.

Make no mistake this tax is going to cost some people a lot of money. NMG may be among the lucky ones.

I don't follow the logic (if there is any) on how a tax can give you a larger disposable income. I'm stumped. Disposable meaning what - - money I can throw at the casino??

He means that if he were to be spending 1500-2000 a year more on taxes, he would be spending ALOT more money on purchases that would require him to have a higher disposable income in order to make such purchases.

That's clearer

According to StatsCan, the median PG family income in 2006 was $73,591.

Remove from that:
1. income tax at say 25%
2. average mortg (census again) = $865x12
3. groceries = $6,000
4. savings = $3,000

I think that covers the big ticket items on which there is no additional tax

Remaining disposable income = $35,213

Let us say that half of it is spent on services in the province, as opposed to goods which already have PST on them, as well as on energy, city utilities, restaurant food, entertainment, etc.

That means an extra $1,232 per year on HST for the MEDIAN PG FAMILY based on census 2006 data for PG.

Maybe the average family spends more like one quarter on those things which will now have an additional tax on it. That will make it $616 per year.

My guess is that depending on the MEDIAN PG FAMILY, they will be paying between $600 to $1,200 per year more taxes.

What I have not included is any saving's passed on by the provider of the services. One word of advice. Do not hold your breath for that. It might buy you a starbucks, which should, btw, increase by 7% in July 2010. I know one family which has a higher than MEDIAN PG FAMILY income that spends between $3,000 and $4,000 on Starbucks per year. That means an additional $210+ per year minimum just for that addiction. But then, they can afford it.

Let me know where I am going wrong.

"A retired person, who does very little, would not pay that much in taxes, however a married man with 3 children of school age, two cars that required repairs, insurance, etc; etc; etc; would pay a lot more"

What's that old Meatloaf song, 2 out of 3 ain't bad? Well unfortunately, it looks like you only got 1 out of 3.

Unless things change from where they are now, insurance still won't be taxable and unless I'm mistaken, you are already paying 12% on car repairs (at least I did based on the invoice I got when I picked up my vehicle the other day from getting serviced).

I think the figures that gus put forth are more in line with what most people will experience.

I'm surprised Bill VanderZalm is going to run again!
Good for him! Long live Bill!!!
He got my vote. Not just because of this tax fighting.
He got my vote because he's the right guy for that job all around!

Long live the sound from the south!

I don't think you're wrong, Gus, but many people nowadays don't save and spend from their savings, but increasingly "finance" their purchases on so-called "consumer credit". (And if they didn't, the economy would be even further in the tank than it already is.)

They're increasingly living 'paycheque-to-paycheque', and the HST, or any new taxes, is going to make that all the more difficult to do.

The solution to the problem the government is trying to solve through the introduction of the HST (how to return to a "balanced budget") cannot be solved that way.

They are simply re-distribuing a collective insufficiency (of "money"), and there's no way that can ever result in a sufficiency.

Even if it does boost exports, and foreign credit is received instead of alternate imports, which is what they're no doubt hoping for, that is simply not sustainable over an extended enough term.

There needs to be a complete re-examination of how governments do their books. For "government" spending and borrowing has repurcussions "macro-economically" in the way "prices" of all goods and services are arranged.

We really need a National and/or Provincial "Balance Sheet", similar in nature to that of any private business, which shows the changing position of Assets, on the one side, and Liabilities and "Capital" (citizen's equity), on the other.

Such a document would quite likely reveal that there is a constant growth in the country's (or Province's) Assets, even in times like these, that far exceeds the growth of Liabilities ("money" claims by the financial system on those Assets).

The difference, just as in any business represents increases to Capital Account. From which, just as in any private business, "money" dividends can be periodically paid to the "owners" ~ all of us.

Any new tax is wrong. I dont care if it takes 500.00 or 5000.00 from my pocket. Between all levels of government including our city and regional district it is getting OUT OF HAND!! Government is not laying off, if anything they are increasing in numbers. Our Premiere just gave his adviser a huge raise. They are not living within their budget people!! How much more are you willing to pay? We already are giving out 50% of our hard earned money. The group of tax payers is shrinking and the groups of government people and the poor we support are increasing. It is out of control and you watch, next year they will ALL increase again. Where will it stop? You can argue about percentages all you want but in the end we are being ripped off to cover over spending by governments. Ministry of Forests renovated this year right here in PG to the tune of 900,000.00 due to increases in staff. One of our friends has worked for forestry in Terrace for over 30 years and he is frustrated at the wastes he see. One of which is that 7 people now do his job where there were only three 10 years ago. This is just one department, think of what happens within all the others as well. Instead of insulting one another put that energy towards putting a stop to missmanagement on all levels of government.

NMG. Your right on the car repairs. I didnt realize that they charged PST on the Labour component of car repairs. (Thought it was on parts only) and therefore assumed that the HST would apply on labour, and therefore be an increase.

There is a component of your car insurance that is called a premium tax of 4.4% which amounts of about $22.00 per year. This is may or may not be increased by the HST however it is insignificant.

There are a large number of items that will be subject to the HST and therefore the cost will range from $600.00 per year to $1500.00 per year depending on the individual.

For those people who can afford to buy a house that costs in excess of $400,000.00, they could pay an additional $10,000.00 in taxes.

Even if the increase was only $600.00 per year it is still BS and a tax grab, and I have no intention of supporting it.

I do not think that Mr. Vanderzalm would throw around figures out of his hat. Carol James quoted close to the same figure. Anyone who is willing to fight for us is a friend in my mind, what and who else is standing up to the plate. I like what Caringsoul said. It seems that everyday Mr. Campbell says and does something else to pee off British Columbians. To take more than half of the gambling money that is suppose to go to charities is one prime example this week alone. Hospice, food banks and any organisation that helps the people are more important than anything our illustrious man in power could spend it on. The carbon tax is such a joke in light of the tar sides right next to our back yards. I do not know about the rest of you but I am very worried about the future of my grandchildren. We need to take back the power from the mere men we put in power. They should not be selling off any of our resources without the vote of the people. All levels are selling us off bit by bit. We better wake up and wake up soon.

Amen Shellshadow.