I for one believe that dollar figure will be one of many things voters will be keeping in mind when they head to the polls to elect a new government.

CKNW in a news story today (February 17) said that some people have told them they ‘aren't happy with the Liberals and their "Family First" initiative.’

They quoted one person who stated:

"I'm a single parent; I've got two kids and I'm trying to support them on a single income.  I'm paying so much tax, it's not even funny. I don't see my tax dollars going towards anything proper."

It is well fine and well to help trades and the construction industry -- and the provincial government is expected sometime later today to be giving relief to them -- but what about families already close to the point of financially breaking, that are being nickeled and dimed on purchases they make for their families, with extra tax imposed on them through the HST?

This includes the fees for organized recreation that helps kids stay healthy ... it includes HST on safety helmets they buy to keep children safe in various recreational activities (hockey, skiing, skate boarding etc) ... it includes the tax on the haircuts children get.

It includes an extra tax on bicycles that people use for both recreation, and in today's greener climate, to get to work ... it’s imposed on some school supplies ... on things to keep families safe in their homes like first aid kits and smoke detectors ...even families, already under stress with the death of a family member, pay extra due to the HST, on the funerals for their loved one who has passed away.

Early on the government also insisted that the HST would not apply to children's clothing, outerwear, and footwear; that however that is NOT totally accurate. 

In fact the tax is only NOT applied to what the BC Liberal government calls "child-sized' clothing. 

Any child under the age of the previous exemption (15 years), that has an early or sudden growth spurt into adult sized clothing, pays the extra tax under the HST.   There are also any number of children that are born of tall parents that require adult sized clothing earlier than other children.  They pay the extra tax as well, because they can no longer get the exemption at the point of purchase, which is no longer allowed under rules the BC government agreed to with the federal government.

There are dozens and dozens of items, that BC families purchase (What’s taxable under the HST and What’s Not), that continue to have an extra tax placed on them due to the slow removal of the HST.

A news story by the CBC in May of last year stated that a report (conducted by the provincial government) indicated the average BC family is paying an extra $350 annually due the HST.  The report stated:

"The more you spend, the more HST you pay. The more you earn, the more you're likely to spend."

Here is a question I have for Christy Clark and the BC Liberals … “How does this fit with the Families First agenda you have been talking about for the past year?”

The HST will remain in place until March of 2013 --- just two months shy of the next provincial general election.  I for one believe that dollar figure will be one of many things voters will keep in mind when they head to the polls to elect a new government.

I’m Alan Forseth in Kamloops, with the thoughts of one conservative.