A Happy Canada Day to one and all! I hope everyone has a great day. It’s my first Canada Day in Toronto and I’m heading downtown shortly to check it out, and take in the Jays/Phillies game.
Today is also the first day of a 1 per cent GST cut, and day one of my Great Canadian Tax Experiment. Beginning today, thru July 31, I am going to save every receipt and keep track of every penny I spend. The goal? To see how much I save from Mr. Harper’s one per cent slashing of the dreaded, but economically sensible, goods and services tax.
I’ll track how much GST I save, and how much of my spending isn’t GST’able or is on purchases where the vendor didn’t pass on the savings. Each week, I’ll post an update with my spending and GST savings, and at the end of the month I’ll tally my GST savings and compare it to the increases amount of tax that is now being deducted from my pay check, and we’ll compare the two numbers.
What a fun way to start the summer! If nothing else, fear of public embarrasment may force me to cut back on my McDonald's breakfasts, as delicious as their breakfast buriotos are. And please, this experiment is for entertainment purposes only, so as always, no wagering.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
The Great Canadian Tax Experiment
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
If at all possible you should take a look at your paycheque as well. Take note of the decrease in pay because of the tax increase from 15% to 15.5%.
Yes, I'm waiting for that too. Our last paycycle ended June 30, so I'll have to wait how much the hit will be and if it will be more or less than by GST savings, which already have provel to be quite the bonanza, to be sure. So many pennies, so little time.
Godless, not to prejudge the results of my little experiment, but I see two points worth making about the GST cut plan. Well, there's more, but briefly, here's two or three.
1/ Collective savings may be $5,000,000,000, but who do you think will be saving more, the minimum-wage earning mother of three, or the uber-wealthy that can afford new homes and luxury cars? The biggest chunk of those savings go to those that need it the least.
2/ Check your next paystub in a week or two like bailey advised, you'll see your take-home pay has gone down. That's because more federal income tax is being deducted to pay for this GST cut. Will you save more from the GST cut than you're loosing now in income tax? If you buy a Lexus, no doubt. Will the average Joe like myself? We'll find out at the end of the month.
One last point, not to belabour this. But besides over-favouring the wealthy, cutting the GST is regressive, not progressive, because it encourages consumption. You need to spend money to "make money", if you don't buy a car or a pack of gum you don't "save" anything. Good for retailers and boat dealerers, bad for our credit card balances. Canadians are already in too much debt. Cutting income tax rates puts money in your pocket and gives you the option of spending your savings, saving it, or paying down debt. Choice, in other words.
Well argued godless. I always mix up the progressive/regressive thing, I should just stay away from it. My point though was that one encorages savings while one encourages spending.
Anyway, with your Lexus scenario, I give you credit for calling it trickle-down. I had thought though that it had been proven pretty soundly that trickle-down doesn't work.
While we're getting more into philosophy here, I'd argue both society and the economy would be better off giving Mom a few bucks for clothes rather than hope she gets a piece of that Lexus trickledown. Why not cut out the middleman?
And here's why I think that's a better idea for our hopes to be Lexus driving dentist. With a little help that mother gets on her feet, gets a better job with dental coverage, and gets her teeth whitened by our dentist. Her disposable income goes up and spreads throughout the economy, rising all boats. Her kids go to university and become dentists themselves. And, of course, everyone is paying taxes now, lessening the burden on the others, and letting the government lower income tax rates for everyone.
Just as long as they don't become politicians...or journalists.
Feds can't force businesses to pass along GST cut: Flaherty
Retailers that choose to absorb the percentage-point cut in the GST, which went into effect over the long weekend, are engaged in a "cash grab" that the Conservative government is powerless to prevent, Flaherty told a news conference.
I experienced this at the cafeteria at work where all prices include GST - When I complained that I did not receive the appropriate price reduction, I was told that they decided to use this opportunity to adjust pricing (translation: increase their profits).
I wonder how all those who got suckered into voting for their 1% GST cut are going to feel about merchants absorbing it?
GAB
Post a Comment