02-11-2021, 10:58 AM
(02-11-2021, 10:38 AM)westwardloo Wrote:(02-11-2021, 08:52 AM)ijmorlan Wrote: I figure we should increase the HST back to where it was (2% points higher than it is), with the extra money going directly to municipalities. Municipalities can’t impose their own sales taxes (and I don’t really like the idea of having thousands of sales tax jurisdictions in the country) but it makes sense to give them a share of the single tax.I wouldn't mind the idea municipalities over a certain population being able to increase sales tax to pay for local investments in infrastructure. Unfortunately it would pretty much guarantee referendums on the subject which would result in no sales tax increase. I lived in Vancouver when we had a referendum on a 1% sale tax increase to pay for a new (skytrain) subway, a couple lrt lines and a couple brt lines. I think it would have cost the average person $50-100 a year. Ultimately the anti tax groups are very good at convincing the public that taxes are bad. Pretty much delayed transit expansion in Vancouver by 5 years. Basically ever city in the USA that is undergoing a massive transit expansion implemented a sales tax increase. examples include Seattle, Portland, Denver and Los Angeles.
Yes, the anti-tax brigade has set us back considerably.
I don't actually like a sales tax though, I think they end up, in practice being fairly regressive. A progressive income tax is best, but even property tax, essentially amounts to a wealth tax (something that is horrifying people in any other form). If we got rid of the regressive features of property tax (where certain rental buildings pay double) I don't see why it is such a bad idea.