Lower the HST

The Campbell government has no mandate to implement an HST.  They did not campaign on it in the recent election and people are rightly outraged at a large-scale tax reform imposed without consultation.

Simply saying NO is not realistic.  The provincial and federal government have entered into an agreement including a $1.6-billion carrot to the province that is not likely to be reversed.

The most sensible course of action to capitalize on the merits of harmonization and offset the impact on household budgets is to lower the combined rate. Taxpayers have until July 1, 2010 to convince the Campbell government to reduce the provincial portion of the HST from 7% to 5% for a combined rate of 10%.

This is exactly what happened in Atlantic Canada when their HST was implemented in 1997.  The combined rate in Nova Scotia for example, was reduced by 3 points.  And while it meant a tax increase for many services, it meant a tax decrease for all consumer goods.

Sign our petition and please contact the premier, finance minister and your MLA to urge the tax rate be reduced to 10%.

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For the latest CTF media commentary on the HST, click here.