'Cause I’m the taxman, Yeah, I’m the taxman.

The Taxman -- Lennon and McCartney

Let me tell you how it will be; there’s one for you, nineteen for me.
'Cause I’m the taxman, Yeah, I’m the taxman.
Should five per cent appear too small, be thankful I don't take it all.
'Cause I’m the taxman, Yeah, I’m the taxman.

(if you drive a car, car;) - I’ll tax the street;
(if you try to sit, sit;) - I’ll tax your seat;
(if you get too cold, cold;) - I’ll tax the heat;
(if you take a walk, walk;) - I'll tax your feet.

Taxman!
'Cause I’m the taxman, Yeah, I’m the taxman ......

As you know, BC Hydro hiked rates on electricity last year by nearly 7 ½ percent … and this year we’ll see another 10% hike.  BUT, our friendly Taxman isn’t finished yet; costs to Medical Services are increasing by another 6% as well.

Then there’s the Carbon Tax – that’s the one brought about (so we’re told) to help us to be more environmentally responsible by reducing our use of fossils fuels. Last summer the carbon tax rate on a litre of gasoline increased to nearly 4 ½ cents, and by next summer it will be sitting at 7 cents a litre.  By the way, are you being more “environmentally responsible” in your home?  Natural gas and other fuels like propane, kerosene and home heating oil are also subject to the carbon tax.

School districts already facing tough choices on what programs to cut – teachers to let go – and schools to close – are subject to the Carbon Tax as well.  As I understand it, that amounts to something like one hundred and twenty thousand "environmentally responsible" dollars ($120,000) a year being removed from funding school basics in the Kamloops Thompson district alone.

Then there’s the HST --- yeah I know that it came into effect last summer but I thought I’d remind you that with the HST we now pay a levy equivalent to the GST plus PST on many items that previously were exempt from the PST.  Here’s just a partial list of items that had a so-called revenue neutral tax increase due to the HST…

• EnergyStar windows, thermal insulation, weather stripping, and caulking.
• Smoke detectors valued less than $250 … first aid kits
• Basic cable television and local residential phone services … repairs to certain household appliances … household moving services.
• Adult sized clothing for children
• Barbers and hair stylists
• Camping sites … domestic air, rail and bus travel originating in BC
• Over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and massage therapy services
• Safety helmets for sports … gym and athletic memberships … ballet, karate, trampoline, hockey, and soccer lessons
• Tickets for live theatre and music concerts, admission to museums and art galleries
• Bicycles … ski lift passes … hockey rink and rental halls … fitness trainers
• Funeral services.

Always thinking of families and the middle class however, the Liberal government made sure to look after the following important items that greatly impact our budgets:

• Tax on energy for both businesses and consumers reduced by 0.4% with the elimination of the Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund levy;
• Elimination of the $5 provincial levy on lead-acid batteries
• Removal of the $1.50 / day Passenger Vehicle Rental Tax
• Removing the higher 10% PST rate on vehicles priced over $55,000

Finally, I couldn’t wrap-up to today’s blog posting without including the following released by the Premiers Office on October 27^th (and we all know what happened to that just a few short days later once he realized the bribe hadn’t worked):

VICTORIA – Premier Gordon Campbell tonight announced a 15 per cent reduction in personal income tax rates, for the first $72,000 of personal income for all British Columbians. This is the second-largest personal income tax relief measure in B.C. history, ensuring B.C. individuals pay the lowest provincial income tax in Canada, on incomes up to $130,000.

“Our government has always felt that the best thing we can do to support British Columbia’s families and our economy is to leave more money in people’s paycheques so they can make the decisions about what is best for themselves and their families,” said Premier Campbell. “This new tax relief will inject $568 million into our economy and create new opportunities for families and individuals across British Columbia.”

NOTE:  A story appeared in the Eagle Valley News on January 10th, and likely other community papers across the province, from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation regarding the new increases in provincial taxes.