Stephen Harper is bizarro Robin Hood

Stacey commented here that she had noticed that more income taxes were being taken off people's paycheque since July 1st. I guess Steve had to find a way of paying for the GST cut. He must of thought long and hard, looked down the list of the conservative priorities and found that number 2 on that list, screw over the poor, (number 1 being help the rich) was the perfect solution.

Here is their brilliant solution:

·The lowest income tax rate was raised from 15 percent to 15.5 percent;

·The basic personal amount that all Canadians earn tax-free decreased from $9,039 to $8,639;

·The amount taxpayers can claim for their spouse or common-law partner decreased from $7,675 to $7,335; and

·The amount taxpayers can claim for eligible dependants decreased from $7,675 to $7,335.

For the record I am currently on track to save 26.97$ in one year from the GST cut. Imagine all the things I can buy with that; a week worth of groceries, a case of beer, a trip to Lone Star for Tom and I minus drinks, 11 STO bus tickets, or 14 OC transpo bus tickets .... oh the choices are endless.

Priceless

Kiefer vs Christmas tree

Adam Corrolla's interview with Ann Coulter

It's the tax cut that keeps screwing us over

Let me count the ways that the GST cut is screwing us over:

-"The Canada Revenue Agency has also said it's up to consumers to police the GST cut, as there are no fines for businesses that do not decrease the tax."

How can there be no fines? It's an extra cost to the business to reprogram cash registers so of course there are going to be some who try and get away with not changing it. There needs to be fines. So unless we consumers are diligent we might not see any savings from the tax cut from some businesses.

-"Well, hate to rain on your parade, but we're still getting ripped off..."

Big surprise.

-"Without the fanfare of the GST reduction, the government has also lowered the amount Canadians can earn tax free by $400 while raising the tax rate for the lowest income bracket from 15 to 15.5 per cent."

Harper sure loves to help the little guy.

-"[A penny] is what I saved today on my cup of Timmies with Harper’s vote buying GST cut. Meanwhile, Canadians will shell out approximately $300 million on debt servicing charges this year that could have been saved if the Conservatives had put that money toward paying down our debt instead of using it as a bribe."

Great!


And to update those wondering how much I have saved since the tax cut took effect, I haven't spent any money. So the answer is nothing. Woo hoo 1% GST cut!