This is simply unbelievable. In what amounts to a financial windfall, the City Council of Toronto is not passing the 1% GST cut on to citizens on anything that they pay for. Instead it is going to pocket the tax relief which the Federal Tories have promised all Canadians, the council is going to bend every citizen over and give it to them good everytime they golf on a city owned course, or buy a recycling box, or pay for any other city service.
That’s because city staffers are recommending that reducing the GST isn’t worth the change.
“Unbelievable,” John Williamson of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation said yesterday. “This is meant to be a tax cut that benefits all taxpayers across the country, not go into the pockets of governments.”
To reduce the GST, the city would have to change billing systems, websites and printed publications to reflect the new, slightly lower fees, staff reported.
It might also force an amendment to the municipal code or other bylaws.
“Boo-hoo,” Williamson said. “Governments never seem to complain when there is a cost to business or individuals when they hike their taxes. It’s funny how they sing this song when it’s going to benefit taxpayers at large. It’s a bad excuse.”
What this amounts to is a direct attack on the Federal Conservative government. The city is setting a precedent, that if followed by other business, will in essence take the Tory GST cut away.
Officially Screwed … Again!!!