Tuesday, June 27, 2006

List of Things Not Affected by GST Cut (in TO)

From The Star, a list of those items not likely to see a price decrease because of the 1% GST cut, because:

They're all products that are sold at a GST-included price, rather than having the federal sales tax added at the cash register.

Parking meters
taxi fares (maybe)
vending machine items
new homes (maybe)
ice rink rentals (maybe)
golf green fees (maybe)
skating lessons (maybe)
beer prices (...which will be largely unaffected because an increase in the federal excise tax will wipe out the decrease in GST)

As the article points out, small change but for the case of new homes. There might also be no reduction on sales commissions, but the article doesn't mention them explicitly, and in any case that is fairly small change as well.

My Favorite factoid from the story is this:

Some big-ticket items, like cars, have been selling at the reduced tax rate for more than a month to keep customers from delaying purchases past July 1.

I wonder if there is any actual concrete evidence of decreases in the sale price of new cars. And when will this turn up in the statistics, if real?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This one didn't even take much thought. The first that comes to mind that is opposite would be the paper....50 cent paper at the corner store will now drop 1 cent...at the box...still 50 cents. So should I start buying at the newstand because it will save me 1 cent...or should I buy at the box as it will save me 3 cents or should I continue with my delivery as the price doesn't even compare??? So many choices!!

Say I'm looking for a new vehicle....dealership is offering a 1% GST discount....do I take their word and buy, or do I go down the street to see the deal there.....ow hell they screwed me, was the gov't that dropped the GST...must be their bad policy of dropping the GST by 1%....

A good salesman can sell you anything....trying to remember...classic...only a few million went missing. Another...it was only a few that were involved(Adscam).

Word of advice...if you are shopping for a new car...ask if they are liberal. As a voter...think about the car salesman!!!

Anonymous said...

do't ya love living in Ontario.

Wonder what land Dulton will give to criminal aboriginals today . . maybe the land under YOUR house.


Liberal policy in action . . . destroying law, order and good government.

Lord Kitchener's Own said...

For those who are upset that they won't be getting their 1% break on all these items, keep one thing in mind. I believe they will be cutting the GST to 6% on most of these items, but not until the new fiscal year. It makes little sense to make the change in the middle of the fiscal year. Keep in mind that changing everything around (new brochures, new billing systems, etc... etc...) to reflect the new GST in the middle of the fiscal year will cost money, and THAT's taxpayer money too. It was found that in most cases making the changes now would cost the city more in taxpayers dollars than taxpayers would actual save from the cut itself. And while this is an oversimplification of how this works, I for one don't want to get a cheque for $0.50 of my tax dollars back for a round of golf at a city golf course, if it's going to cost the city $1.00 of MY TAX DOLLARS to get the cheque to me. Receiving a cheque may feel great, but I'm still down $0.50 overall.

Also, everyone keep in mind that the same day the GST gets cut, the lowest marginal tax rate will go back up (thank you Prime Minister), and the personal exemption for income taxes goes back down (wow, thanks again!). So don't spend that fabulous (sniker) GST-cut windfall... you'll need it to pay your higher income taxes. One tax cut and two tax increases on the same day. I wonder which of the three the Tories will focus on??? (And can I say, I love the beer and wine thing! The Tories make a big fuss about cutting the GST, but for beer and wine they increase another tax! Why? Well to make up for the cut in the GST of course!!!).

The Tories are furiously stufffing tiny bits of money in my right pocket, while telling me all about how great it is, and how much better they are than the last guys... and all the while they're quietly taking money out of my left pocket. I don't mind politicians saying one thing, but really doing another. But I get the sense that the Tories think we're all stupid, and THAT bothers me.

Anyway, meet the new boss...