Match PC promise to cut HST, lobby group urges N.B. political parties
Taxpayers federation says other parties should join Tories in pledging major tax cuts in fall election
A self-styled taxpayer advocacy group is urging all political parties in New Brunswick to fall in line with the Progressive Conservative promise to cut the harmonized sales tax if it is re-elected in this fall's election.
Jay Goldberg, the interim Atlantic director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, told reporters that the Liberals, Greens and others should be prepared to match what he called "a landmark affordability proposal" to cut the HST by two percentage points.
"I think it's important for all parties to look at it, or present other very compelling tax cut alternatives to really leave money in peoples' pockets," he said.
Goldberg singled out the Liberals in particular, who raised the provincial portion of the HST from eight per cent to 10 per cent in 2016.
Liberal Leader Susan Holt has promised a range of affordability measures if she becomes premier, including eliminating the provincial part of the sales tax on N.B. Power bills.
She has also promised to cap rents and eliminate a PC-imposed "carbon adjustor" mechanism that allows oil companies to pass on the cost of federal clean-fuel regulations to customers.
Liberal
Leader Susan Holt promised a range of affordability measures if
elected, which a spokesperson said would be better than an HST cut. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
That adjustor fluctuates weekly and is 3.7 cents per litre this week.
But Goldberg said the Liberals and other parties should be looking at bigger tax cuts that reduce government revenues by amounts similar to the HST reduction.
The estimated cost of the cut to the government would be $450 million.
A spokesperson for Holt said she is sticking with her position that "targeted" affordability measures are better than an HST cut.
The PCs made the promise at a party news conference last month, with Premier Blaine Higgs — in his role as party leader — pledging a one-point reduction next April and another one in 2026.
The HST is a combined federal-provincial sales tax with a 10-per-cent provincial rate and a five-per-cent federal rate.
The Liberal government of Premier Brian Gallant raised the provincial rate from eight to 10 points in 2016 as a way to reduce the budget deficit. The province has run surpluses every year since Gallant's final year in office.
Another fiscally conservative organization, the Fraser Institute, said in July that cutting income taxes is a more efficient way to help people and the economy than an HST cut.
Last
month, Premier Blaine Higgs, as leader of the Progressive
Conservatives, announced he would reduce the provincial portion of HST
if elected again. (Alix Villeneuve/Radio-Canada)
Goldberg said that Higgs has already made some income tax reductions, but a larger cut would also be welcome.
The federation calls itself "a citizen's group dedicated to lower taxes, less waste and accountable government."
It doesn't reveal its donors but says 76 per cent of its funding comes from donations of less than $1,000, and it doesn't accept money from outside Canada.
It also says it is non-partisan and bans its staff and board members from joining political parties.
The election is scheduled for Oct. 21.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Has anyone ever wondered who is behind the Canadian Taxpayers Federation???
Reply to Allan Marven
Reply to William Peters
What needs to be lowered is the number of ostensibly non-partisan "think tanks" and NGO's taking advantage of our tax system to write receipts we end up paying for to donate toward right wing causes.
Fraser,
MacDonald Laurier,
Canada Strong and Proud,
The Hub,
True North Centre,
Canadian Taxpayer Federation,
(and this is a highly abbreviated list - feel free to add to it)
and grants to right wing media.
The National Post receives grants every year enough to pay for a dozen "pundits" six figure salaries to publish anti-Trudeau "news" and Alberta's war room used to get $30 million a year for the same. Conservatives are gaming the system and it needs to stop.
David Amos
Reply to Loran Hayden
There quite a number of well funded think tanks camped on the other side of the fence as well
John Dutton
Lowering hst will benefit every single person in NB anyone that say otherwise is wrong.
Mathieu Laperriere
Reply to John Dutton
But some will benefit a lot more than others.
MR Cain
Reply to John Dutton
The more wealth, the more spent, the more benefit.
Loran Hayden
Reply to John Dutton
Trickle down does not work. That money goes to yachts to travel to far off destinations manned by Panamanians and staffed with Filipinos for filthy rich owners to enjoy the spoils and grow their portfolios.
David Amos
Reply to John Dutton
I agree
I hope he doesn't. And for the record again, I hope trudeau loses too.
"A self-styled taxpayer advocacy group..."
That says it all.
David Amos
Reply to Loran Hayden
Bingo
Dan Lee
Our tax monies in subsidies........our crown wood cut and paid by our taxes........property taxes are lowered for a few........our fuel is higher so one certain company is given more............and your jumping for 1%
David Amos
Reply to Dan Lee
Its better than nothing
Allan Marven
They should commit to far deeper cuts, including abolishing property tax. And also stop spraying NB. I just got home from driving through a spray fog . Nice. NB needs to join the class lawsuit against glyphosate, before it becomes one of the defendants.
Loran Hayden
Reply to Allan Marven
Because running a country without taxes is all the rage.
David Amos
Reply to Allan Marven
Dream on
Loran Hayden
The "Canadian" Taxpayer Federation is, arguably, not even Canadian but a wholly owned arm of the Atlas Network. They do not divulge who is on their Board of Directors nor do they allow regular Canadians to become members through any transparent membership process.
Loran Hayden
Reply to Loran Hayden
i.e. they should not be given any voice as a valid Canadian resource - they are, for all intents and purposes, privately-owned foreign interference.
David Amos
Reply to Loran Hayden
I have known their game for many years
Rod Hill
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation, like the Fraser Institute, is a right wing libertarian lobby group dedicated to reducing taxes with the ultimate aim of reducing and ultimately eliminating government spending on social programs to the maximum extent possible. It is hard to exaggerate just how extreme its goals are. In this case, advocating a reduction in the HST is a way of attempting to ensure that the government lacks funds for useful public projects, such as investment in public housing to give just one example
The CTF would be happy to take your money as a donation, but it will not give you voting membership or any say over who directs the organization. It is run by a small clique who make up its Board of Directors – the only ones with vote.
I am mystified as to why yet another instalment of its relentless anti-government propaganda constitutes "news"
David Amos
Reply to Rod Hill
Me too
Loran Hayden
The CTF is funded almost wholly by the Koch's Atlas Network & Canadian taxpayers via tax refunds. It brings no added value to Canada and you cannot even become a member of it.
David Amos
Reply to Loran Hayden
There is more to it
MR Cain
Lowering taxes is a good idea; problem is, the lower incomes do not benefit very much if at all.
Reply to MR Cain
Reply to John Dutton
Not suggesting anything. As a low-income person, I don't spend $100 just to save a buck. I don't buy shoes until the soles fall off, and they will only cost me $25. Not everyone has a tv, or phone either.
Reply to MR Cain
Take the HST of hydro and heating oil and gas benefits all consumers
Reply to James Duncan
I live in a tent.
Reply to James Duncan
Iconcur
Eugene Peabody
Sorry this is a idea that helps lower income people very little but really is aimed at people with higher income. The ideas that Susan Holt is promoting do a lot more give a break to a lot more people . If they could overhaul the property tax rules so that large companies paid their fair share it would be a help to everyone.
MR Cain
Reply to Eugene Peabody
We are told that the property tax assessments are based on the market; that in itself is the problem.
Benoit Boudreau
Reply to MR Cain
yet Service NB says it can't divulge how they calculate them... if you look at the property tax site you find some serious discrepancies, both on homes and on businesses.
MR Cain
Reply to Benoit Boudreau
Thus the problem; no transparency, no backup data.
David Amos
Reply to Benoit Boudreau
Go figure
michael levesque
Ernie Steeves owes Roger Melason an apology. When Steves was Fiance Critic and Melason raised the HST to 15% Steves berated him in the Legislative Assembly for doing that. Steves had 8 years to reduce it back to 13%.
David Amos
Reply to michael levesque
Well put
Garry Mackay
I would agree with the Fraser Institute and prefer to see a lowering of the income tax. If anything we need a fix to the broken property tax system as well. Stopping the loan charges to the power company and subsidies to mills that should be done through the property tax system like other provinces do.
The federation has yet to offer solutions and has fallen for Dr. Higgs pandering IMO.
David Amos
Reply to Garry Mackay
I kinda sorta agree with you but definitely not the Fraser Institute
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