Friday, August 26, 2011

HST Referendum Results

Who Wins The Fight?

Update: HST Scrapped
Back to GST & PST
The final results are:
% of valid votes voting Yes 54.73%
% of valid votes voting No 45.27%

Totals 881198-54.73% 728927-45.27% Total votes-1610125
We will know before noon on Friday, Aug. 26th whether the fight HST corner led by former Premier Bill Vander Zalm or the 'keep the HST' corner led by some business and favoured by the sitting Liberals, will have won the fight.

The HST brought in by the Gordon Campbell Liberals (most of which are still in Victoria) proved to be the plucked feather that not only brought hissing, but fighting from the nearly bald goose.

A large percentage of the BC population jumped at the chance to tell government they have really had enough and did not buy into the Liberal spin that it would be a revenue neutral, consumer friendly tax. Many saw the HST as a huge tax burden being taken off of business and put on the shoulders of the consumer.They didn't believe them and in great numbers told them so. Against the odds enough signatures were collected to force a government referendum to decide the issue.

Premier Clark's Liberals (most the same as Campbell Liberals) in a gesture to demonstrate they are listening to BC taxpayers, promised to reduce the HST to 10% in a few years, or return to the 12% collected under the PST and GST tax formula. Clearly an effort to persuade BC residents to keep the HST. If they are able to reduce the HST to 10% there should be no reason they could not also reduce the combined taxes to 10% also, if there is the political will.

It would seem our society has produced money addicted governments at all levels who seem to find it impossible to quit spending money which neither we, nor our grandchildren have to spend.

The results of the referendum will be posted here as soon as they are made available.

allvoices

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