Dear Editor,In the newspapers of Canada on or around the 27 of June 2008 an article about ideas and plans that the Federal Government is looking at. One of them stated they would, "Consider allowing cities to charge a one per cent sales tax to raise funds for infrastructure spending.". This must not be allowed. This is simply the latest manifestation of a recent upper level government trick. Down load their responsibilities on the lower governments along with new taxation powers to do the tasks. Many of us can remember when sales tax was first introduced in Nova Scotia. It was 3% and had risen steadily ever since. It had risen two fold, one in higher tax rates and two in expansion of what is taxed. meanwhile services mandated of both the federal and Provincial governments have just as steadily declined or been off loaded to the bottom of the feeding chain, the homeowner and or renter who are at the mercy of the municipal governments. Therefore let your readers demand that all MP's, MLS's and elected Municipal officials oppose this move. We have to live within out means. We have no bottomless well to draw ever increasing funds from and it is time the governments of this country stopped treating us as such. We have to live within our means including the horrendous taxation system now in place. Governments, do the same!! Supply what you are supposed to for the good of the general public and stop financing politically correct causes and or causes that will buy you votes. Stop wasting our money on such things as $95,000 to some artist to make a giant helium filled banana to float over Texas. Cut the perks that elected officials get. If they have to live on their salary they would view more taxes differently. Your readers can speak up on this matter by contacting their MP, MLA and civic elected officials, contacting the Prime Minister and opposition leaders or by signing the petition at, http://www.petitiononline.com/cgi-bin/create_petition.cgi?123z123x&MVNvXAAbajslSnUS, calling on the governments not to proceed with this matter. They can find full contact information for all MP's at, http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/MainMPsCompleteList.aspx?TimePeriod=Current&Language=E. Yours truly Bruce DeVenne
By Bruce Devenne