[xerxes]

$1:

Economists dump on Harper's GST-lowering plan
Last Updated Thu, 01 Dec 2005 18:18:13 EST
CBC News

Some economists have come out against Conservative Leader Stephen Harper's election campaign promise to lower the GST.

"From an economic point of view, it wouldn't be my first choice," Bill Robson, senior vice-president of the CD Howe Institute, told CBC Newsworld on Thursday.

"If you want tax cuts that are going to promote work, going to promote saving, help us invest more and raise living standards in the future, the GST is not the tax you would go after."

Robson said it would be better to cut personal income taxes.

Earlier in the day, Harper announced he would lower the seven per cent goods and services tax by one percentage point immediately and by another point within five years if he becomes prime minister after the Jan. 23 vote.

Jim Davies, who teaches economics at the University of Western Ontario in London, also said he would prefer income tax cuts.

"Most serious work done by economists who specialize in public finance indicates that the GST is a more efficient tax source than the income tax," Davies told the Canadian Press. "If the income tax cut is designed properly, it can provide similar benefit to lower-income taxpayers."

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid," he said.

The Liberal party also challenged Harper's mathematics.

The Conservative leader said that for an average family of four with an income of $60,000 a year, the GST reduction would mean about $400 less in taxes.

Liberals said first-year savings would be closer to $250, based on Statistics Canada numbers indicating a typical family earning $60,000 makes taxable purchases worth about $25,000 a year.

But John Williamson, head of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, came to Harper's defence.

"I think it's a fine idea," Williamson said of Harper's plan. " A lot of economists are suggesting that is it an unacceptable tax cut and I don't think anything could be further from the truth."

He said economists are evaluating the Conservatives' tax plan differently than the Liberals' tax plan.

Williamson said that when the Liberal plan came out to reduce personal income taxes, there was no talk among economists about whether their specific proposals were the best ideas.

"They are looking at the Conservative plan at what is the best tax cut measure and they are not doing the same for the Liberal tax cut plan."

He agreed, though, that the preference is to cut income taxes, but added he is waiting to see more tax cut proposals from the Conservatives.

This for everyone who is getting a bit weary of ridenrain's obsessive compulsive Liberal denigration posts.

[ridenrain]

Great. They've had 12 years of surplus budgets to come up with tax cuts.
How many more years do they need?
Is Chretien going to remone the GST, AGAIN?


Obsessive?

[ziggy]

xerxes xerxes:

$1:

Economists dump on Harper's GST-lowering plan
Last Updated Thu, 01 Dec 2005 18:18:13 EST
CBC News

Some economists have come out against Conservative Leader Stephen Harper's election campaign promise to lower the GST.

"From an economic point of view, it wouldn't be my first choice," Bill Robson, senior vice-president of the CD Howe Institute, told CBC Newsworld on Thursday.

"If you want tax cuts that are going to promote work, going to promote saving, help us invest more and raise living standards in the future, the GST is not the tax you would go after."

Robson said it would be better to cut personal income taxes.

Earlier in the day, Harper announced he would lower the seven per cent goods and services tax by one percentage point immediately and by another point within five years if he becomes prime minister after the Jan. 23 vote.

Jim Davies, who teaches economics at the University of Western Ontario in London, also said he would prefer income tax cuts.

"Most serious work done by economists who specialize in public finance indicates that the GST is a more efficient tax source than the income tax," Davies told the Canadian Press. "If the income tax cut is designed properly, it can provide similar benefit to lower-income taxpayers."

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid," he said.

The Liberal party also challenged Harper's mathematics.

The Conservative leader said that for an average family of four with an income of $60,000 a year, the GST reduction would mean about $400 less in taxes.

Liberals said first-year savings would be closer to $250, based on Statistics Canada numbers indicating a typical family earning $60,000 makes taxable purchases worth about $25,000 a year.

But John Williamson, head of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, came to Harper's defence.

"I think it's a fine idea," Williamson said of Harper's plan. " A lot of economists are suggesting that is it an unacceptable tax cut and I don't think anything could be further from the truth."

He said economists are evaluating the Conservatives' tax plan differently than the Liberals' tax plan.

Williamson said that when the Liberal plan came out to reduce personal income taxes, there was no talk among economists about whether their specific proposals were the best ideas.

"They are looking at the Conservative plan at what is the best tax cut measure and they are not doing the same for the Liberal tax cut plan."

He agreed, though, that the preference is to cut income taxes, but added he is waiting to see more tax cut proposals from the Conservatives.

This for everyone who is getting a bit weary of ridenrain's obsessive compulsive Liberal denigration posts.

What? you mean people get wary of him posting about the 200 + scandals that the libs have pulled off? Maybe you should post some of the conservative scandals instead of doing what most libs do and blame Harper for a scandal that hasnt even happened yet.

Keep it up ridenrain,someone's got to tell the truth. The truth must hurt some.

[ziggy]

ridenrain ridenrain:

Great. They've had 12 years of surplus budgets to come up with tax cuts.
How many more years do they need?
Is Chretien going to remone the GST, AGAIN?


Obsessive?

Should have watched Dither's this morning when the reporters asked him many times about abolishing the gst and he just kept waffling....and dithering....then he mentioned tax cuts for the middle class....then he mentioned that only if they had extra cash.....

Truly out of touch with regular Canucks.

[xerxes]

I was just saying that considering the election campaign is only 3 days old, Ride has has gone all out with the posts. He ought to space out the loathing. The best time for so many posts would be the week before the election.

That being siad, Ride's posts are good in their own ways.: Mainly, I don't have to go searching around the 'net to find articles that Ride posts here.

But it's a bit much. Every article Ride posts doesn't change my mind as to who I'm going to vote for. I haven't like the Liberals ever since I've been voting age.

[ziggy]

xerxes xerxes:

I was just saying that considering the election campaign is only 3 days old, Ride has has gone all out with the posts. He ought to space out the loathing. The best time for so many posts would be the week before the election.

That being siad, Ride's posts are good in their own ways.: Mainly, I don't have to go searching around the 'net to find articles that Ride posts here.

But it's a bit much. Every article Ride posts doesn't change my mind as to who I'm going to vote for. I haven't like the Liberals ever since I've been voting age.

Pretty tough to space out the scandals when they pile up as fast as they do,perhaps you could post some conservative scandals as a counter attack?

[ziggy]

Let's see some conservative scandals folks.

Not Mulroney one's either,something fresh mayhaps.

Something Harper would be good,anyone???????

[xerxes]

Considering that the CPC hasn't been power in over a decade, that's a bit of a tall order.

[ziggy]

xerxes xerxes:

Considering that the CPC hasn't been power in over a decade, that's a bit of a tall order.

It would have to be a free for all to even meet one of the libs scandals,eg-gun registry,never mind 200 plus.

[ziggy]

I watched Martin this morning and he is a changed man,willing to give tax cuts to the middle class(only if there's enough money) and all that,but he couldnt answer any questions about the GST,we've been down this road before he says........duh ya right,when he promised to scrap it. I think it's better then the manufacturers tax anyway as much as I hate it at least it's out in the open for all to see.

[Robair]

I think most members of the last conservative government to hold power in SK are still in jail.

The Liberals have had too much power for too long. That's it. It would be the same story with any political party that had been in power for too long. A minority Conservative government might be a good thing, might scare the Libs straight and it deafinatly wouldn't last very long.

How much damage could Steve do with a minority government? He would have to pass everything past the Liberals, NDP and the Bloc! The political life of a Conservative minority would likely be awefully short!

Might last just long enough to scrap gun control...

I would, however, hate to see a Conservative majority.

[ridenrain]

Just some more GST notes:

Ottawa collected $29.7 billion in GST last year. And according to the department’s Economic and Fiscal Update released last month, GST revenues are projected to rise to $39.1 billion by 2010.

That’s nearly $10 billion annually in extra dough.

Each point cut from the GST is estimated to be worth about $4 billion. If Ottawa cut two points off the tax, it would be down $8 billion, with close to $2 billion to spare.

So even if they cut the GST to 5%, the federal government would still have nearly $2 billion more in 2010 than it did in 2004.

Hard to argue against that.

[PluggyRug]

Wots GST, is it 'Grits Scrap Taxation'...Oh sorry .. that was Chretian holding the red book, full of girly pictures.

[ridenrain]

"A Liberal government will replace the GST ... " -- Creating Opportunity, the Liberal platform 1993, Pg. 22.

"If the GST is not abolished under a Liberal government, I will resign." -- Liberal MP Sheila Copps during the 1993 election campaign

"It was a shoot-from-the-lip comment ... I should never have gone so far as to put my seat on the line." -- Deputy prime minister Sheila Copps in April, 1996, on being reminded of her 1993 promise

"I've kept my promise." -- Sheila Copps tearfully resigning her seat in May, 1996. She returned a month later in a byelection.

"We made a mistake [promising to eliminate the GST] ... it was an honest mistake." -- Finance minister Paul Martin in April, 1996

"I'd rather jump off the Peace Tower than raise the GST." -- Liberal finance minister John Manley squelching rumours of an increase in the tax to pay for health care in September, 2002

Hated tax made and killed careers

[BartSimpson]

The question really comes down to this: how much money can the government seize from you before you complain and vote for anyone who will lower taxes?