For Immediate Release
March 26, 2009

No Harmony in Tax: Barrett
HST another massive tax grab

Queen’s Park – According to local MPP Toby Barrett, Premier McGuinty has once again proven he is a serial promise breaker with the introduction of Harmonized Sales Taxes.

“This is another massive tax grab,” Barrett said, following the delivery of the 2009 Budget. “Blending the GST and PST is a tax measure that will pinch the wallet of every Ontarian every single time they buy something.”

In an attempt to soften the blow of this tax, Mr. McGuinty has also pledged to forward – in three payments – $1,000 to households who earn less than $160,000 annually.

“Taxpayers will not be fooled by the sugar chasing the poison,” Barrett said. “This payout has nothing to do with offsetting the effects of the new tax, but rather it’s a bribe with one’s own money, given the third and final cheque will go out just before the next provincial election in 2011. Taxpayers haven’t forgotten about the $900 they lose each and every year to the so-called health tax.”

Barrett said that the McGuinty government will be doing more harm than good with the blended tax by spooking consumers to postpone purchases, in particular, big-ticket items.

“All Mr. McGuinty is doing is shifting the tax burden from businesses to consumers, and at a time when people are losing their jobs.”

According to the Building Industry and Land Development Association, the harmonization of taxes will add nearly $47,000 to the price of a new home in the Greater Toronto Area and about $23,000 to a home in Haldimand-Norfolk and the rest of the province.

“Today’s budget did not lay out a solid plan for getting Ontario back on the economic track,” Barrett said. “It seems the Premier is still making it up on the back of a napkin as he goes along.”

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