["No doubt, many in our province, even in North America, are going to have to reduce lifestyle expectations now and in the near future." G. Harrison, Oct. 20]
No doubt about it.
R.S.M. Eberhard had some "not half bad" ideas re paying down the rising debt here in Ontario, Canada.
"Raise the HST (Homogenized Sales Tax) to 15%, with 1% going to the provincial government and 1% to the feds."
I'm not opposed to that, for the most part. The HST is a consumption tax that hits everyone, so at a certain level it's fair. It hits our consumption and many would admit we buy too much stuff too much of the time, then have to sell some of it at yard sales in order to clear a path to the washing machine.
The less-fortunate and unemployed would also be hit and would deserve some consideration, in my opinion, and nowhere does RSM address the needy.
As well, some of RSM's ideas are simply "half baked."
"All who receive income directly or indirectly from taxpayers should have an income over $50,000 a year reduced by 10%..."
Let's pause for a moment shall we.
Many will see that RSM is going after a pile of money, starting at $5,000 per household with an income of $50,000. It gets higher per household in which more than $50,000 is made.
Surely, many will also say RSM's idea is outrageous, though a few might at least give him a point for trying to spread the pain of paying off a mountain of debt in an equitable manner without attacking households with wages under 50 Gs. After all, some will say, it at least sounds equitable, because almost everybody in Ontario receives income "directly" from taxpayers" (e.g., politicians, doctors) or "indirectly from taxpayers" (e.g., retailers, lawyers and all others who get paid by billing ordinary citizens, aka taxpayers).
However, upon further reading, RSM may not be trying to be equitable at all.
In his description of "all who receive income directly or indirectly from taxpayers" he includes the following:
"Politicians, doctors, police officers..."
Are you catching a whiff of stink?
"Teachers, nurse, court officials, etc."
Do you know why RSM finished with etc?
It's likely because he couldn't think of any other occupations in the public sector.
To RSM, the private sector must be almost invisible. And as poor as poor can be. Not one occupation in the private sector is mentioned in his plan. "Half-baked" came to mind, as you read earlier.
Attack the debt?
Let's do so, but let's not let the wealthiest among us off the hook while we're trying to keep the next several generations from bearing all the weight.
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To address provincial or national debt in a serious and equitable manner, what factors need to be considered?
Is there a link between national debts in many countries and the Occupy (Name a city) protests?
Please click here to read Letter to the Editor: PT 2 "Attack the debt. Pay tolls. Pay more for gas"
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