What do you think about the HST?

Question

What do you guys think about the HST? Should it be changed? Or eliminated? What are the problems with the HST? Please answer! It's part of a school political survey!

Answer 1

From what I could find, it combines GST with PST, to form HST, unless it broadens what is taxable, there will be no actual change in sales tax. I believe that the Maritimes have HST, and BC is also adopting HST. So far only Alberta only charges GST, and it has no PST.

Answer 2

Eliminated. It has pushed the price of some items beyond the reach of a lot of lower middle class and poor. I dropped my fees because I know some of my customers simply couldn't afford the huge increase the HST forced. I have heard a number of other contractors taking on work under the table to avoid the paper work and hassle as well. Basically the HST is creating a growing underground economy. Honestly, I just couldn't face some of my customers who were on tight budgets to begin with.



Also, in Ontario, it was so chaotic in how it was put into practice. It took 2 weeks after it came in, before I could get an answer as to whether I had to charge it or not. It was confusing - even the gov people I spoke to had no clue. On top of this, we have record waste (look at ehealth corruption and mismangement) that cost at least a billion dollars.They waste a billion dollars then turn around and say we need more money and raise our taxes? No... not good.

Answer 3

I don't have a problem with the concept however the application of the harmonized sales tax is flawed.



Under the old system provincial sales tax applied to most, but not all, items that were sold. At the same time, GST applied to most, but not all, items that were sold as well. Once the HST was instituted to combine both taxes that seems to be what they did...combine them both with no thought given to the fact that now the GST portion and PST portion would apply to most (all?) items. As a result, most things are now taxed and prices have raised accordingly. Personally, I feel if an item was GST or PST exempt before then the full HST should not apply.

Answer 4

Heat-shrink tubing is very useful in electronics, and I think we should keep it. It prevents wires from bending around too much at the solder joints. I guess one of the problems is that if you want to rewire something, you have to remove it first.