New: Facebook has blocked all Canadian news. Join our mailing list to stay in the loop.

New: Facebook has blocked all Canadian news. Join our mailing list to stay in the loop.

TAxes_by_any_other_name

Feature Article April 29

Mazinaw Musings October 14, 2004

LAND O' LAKES NewsWeb Home

Contact Us

Taxes; by any other name

Taxes; by any other name would smell so sour. Paraphrasing William Shakespeares comment on roses aptly describes the devious methods that our various governments use to describe their tax raising schemes while all the while swearing there are no tax increases. No increases! Then why are we are all paying more to the governments we elect; typical governmental logic? Every level of government is raising their income and the other names they use instead of taxes smell as sour.

Fees, one of the other names, have risen for many services formerly provided by governments freely or for a nominal price. Whether they are for a passport, a car licence or disposing of garbage, up they go. These are only one example from each layer of government.

Grampa Paul taking his seat in Ottawa must be scurrying around to find alternates for taxing us to pay for all the promises he made so liberally while campaigning. If he increases our federal income taxes after all the financial scandals and their expensive investigations in Ottawa it will be a short living Liberal government. Watch for some innovative creations of other names coming out of Ottawa.

Uncle Dalt with his twinkling eyes states that the recently (post election) Health Premium is NOT a tax increase but each of us will have less in our pay cheques because of it and that money flows to the government. If that isnt a tax I would like to know how to define taxation.

In North Frontenac Papa Ronny boasted in his summer letter from the Mayor, a zero tax increase in our inaugural year. Sure he kept the rate the same; he didnt have to change it: he and many other Ontario mayors let the Ontario Assessment Board do the dirty work and raise property tax income for him by increasing assessment. Papa, I ask what percentage of the ratepayers in North Frontenac paid more actual taxes and by what amount last year than in the previous one; that would be an honest and accurate interpretation of zero tax increase? That should be a relaxed calculation with the North Frontenac township office now closed to the public 4 days a week.

There are many other taxes flowing into the government coffers that are periodically raised and do not make the headlines. These are indirect taxes over which we have some discretionary power of paying or not. Our glorious leaders know our various weaknesses and have been very clever in exploiting them. Every time the price of gasoline goes up, a significant fuel tax increase helps Grampa Paul entertain his friends in high places. Uncle Dalt is musing about more toll roads for those of us who would like to get off the regular congested highways that havent been kept up to standard. Alcohol, tobacco, casinos and lotteries all soak up money from those of us who are addicted or like to dream imaginatively. Perhaps our failure to anticipate the consequences of our addictions deserves to be taxed but is a tax on the stupid a civilized way to finance government?

We can be certain that The Ontario Assessment Board will increase the re-evaluation of our properties during the next 2 years and that will give Papa Ronny and his municipal cronies a reason not to raise the tax rate just before the next municipal elections, but I predict we will pay more money to him!

And how much tax do you pay? You can calculate your Personal Tax Freedom Day (the first day in the year that the money from your paycheque goes to you and not to our various governments in the form of taxation) by going to the Fraser Institute website > http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/shared/taxcalc.asp

Just remember that many premiums, surcharges, user fees, and supplements are not included in the calculation but they smell as sour.

With the participation of the Government of Canada