Provincial sales tax solution to revenue woes
By Letter to the Editor on July 9, 2020.
Most of us can appreciate the services that taxes buy, like highways without potholes for example, public schools that welcome every child in the community and a public health-care system that won’t bankrupt us when we get sick. Yet, we grumble about paying taxes.
Nonetheless, Alberta is broke again thanks to the collapse of oil prices. Barring a miracle, the good old days of propping up Alberta’s anemic tax system with oil revenues are likely over. Which raises the question: how will Alberta manage its latest economic bust? Cuts to government services and infrastructure don’t work, so what do we do now? There’s a better way to balance the books while we dream about higher oil prices.
If you guessed provincial sales tax, you’d be right. Every other province in Canada already uses one. Paying a modest five percent more for goods and services makes more sense than imposing harmful austerity measures on ordinary Albertans.
Boom or bust, Albertans still need quality public services. A sales tax that protects lower-income folks would help eliminate Alberta’s debt and be a significant step in boosting government coffers. It’s time to stop grumbling about taxes and get serious about adopting that long-overdue provincial sales tax in Alberta.
Dave Volume
Coleman
8-7
But Dave any government that brings in a sales tax is surely doomed politicly! Don’t you think they know that? The pendulum will swing-back Alberta’s way, give it time!
better than a sales tax, how about we reduce alberta income tax for the poorest and lower middle classes, and raise them for the upper income earners. the flat 10% income tax is a big burden on limited earners.
moreover, the real solution to govt money issues is to move away from income tax and hst/gst nonsense – which cost a ridiculous fortune to collect and account for, and allows the very wealthiest to pay relatively little. in place, we go the .05% tax on all financial transactions, with no income tax nor other sales/consumer tax. no massive tax dept needed, no sleazy loopholes, no getaway-free cards for stock/futures traders, just a .05% rake very time a financial transaction takes place. https://www.citizen.org/article/industry-rigged-financial-transaction-tax-reports/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_transaction_tax
Not much to say, but how about the $4,700,000,000 and the $4,600,000,000 tax reduction to businesses. A total loss of revenue of $9,300,000,000. They expect the poor people of the Province to reward the financial elite. Which now , after Covid-19, will be near impossible. The analogy of “Blood from a Stone” comes to mind. Let’s put everyone into poverty except the top 1%.
another excellent entry, phlush.
if one has not yet taken or found the time to watch these videos, each is most enriching and worth the look.
seth posted this recently: requiem for the american dream…noam chomsky
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp6Rbgv1MLg&vl=en
and, i have posted this one several times over the years: oh canada our bought and sold out land
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbACCGf6q-c