As a resident of Nova Scotia for the past 15 years, I have sat and watched the Nova Scotian government change from bad to worse, and this is the worst. It’s time for us to act and demand change: if we don’t, nothing will change.
The government wants to take that federal two percent tax cut that we received back in 2006, and add it to the provincial tax bracket. Nova Scotia will have the highest living expenses and the highest taxes in all of Canada. At least we were able to survive but not for long. If the taxes go up, it will contribute to a lot of damage. It will contribute to more homelessness and people who were able to make it from paycheque to paycheque will no longer do so.
The Nova Scotia government wants to steal more from us. They already did. We paid for it. We always pay for it. Haven’t you had enough of electing thieves? Don’t WE, the residents, have the right to make this decision? If not, we’re not a democracy.
People of Nova Scotia should rise up and take a stand on this issue. YOU SHOULD NOT ALLOW THEM TO STEAL FROM YOU ANYMORE.
Please, let’s organize a protest and let’s speak against these people. Flood the mayors and premiers office with letters and complaints. DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO HIKE THE TAX. Please do something. I can’t do it alone, but we can as one voice. We have every right to do so. —Upset Nova Scotian
This article appears in Mar 18-24, 2010.
As long as that 2% goes towards removing the homeless … out of sight, out of mind….I’m all for it. Can we send them to Nunavut?
I’m in hah.
the only reason the government is as bad as it is, well thanks to the pevious ones. you don’t go 500 million plus in debt in less than 3 months, it was there, hidden away a long time before the n.d.p. ever came to power. and all the greed and corruption was there also. that is like me blaming you for the attack on the towers in 2001. or how about we blame the n.d.p. for all the wars going on too. see how outright stupid that sounds. no, they didn’t set this in motion, they were the ones to uncover this and other shit going on. they even fessed up to the fact, that even they spent some money not quite right. but what they have spent, is just a tiny drop in the fucking bucket of this corruption, called politics. hopefully, they will bring some sanity to governments of the future.
OP, organize a rally then… btw, I didn’t see an article recently in the paper about this…
didn’t think it was going to happen what with all the frivolity the gubment have been lambasting in…
considering I see two bitches on it today though, I’d say it’s going to be prominent in people’s minds in the days to come.
all I can say is I’m considering moving if it goes through.
I never really liked it much here anyways.
Would you like to continue enjoying government services like health care, education and infrastructure? Personally, I love ’em!
Yeah, we all get why government needs taxes, sniffy. We don’t get why they need MORE taxes, especially just after the spending scandal.
Why not run in the next election then, OP?
Sarey:
• Because the cost of everything continues to rise?
• Because provincial employees — from bureaucrats to firefighters to garbage collectors — would like pay raises?
• Because Nova Scotia is rapidly becoming the province with the highest number of seniors in Canada, meaning more people are using services and fewer people are making contributions to the coffers?
I’m no economist, but I suspect that may have something to do with it.
Life Sucks, NDP wasn’t excluded from that scandal. Darrell himself was part of it during the previous governments. If this government wasn’t to fix these problems. they shouldn’t hike the tax, the should remove that $45,000 expense account. Who the hell spends $45,000 worth of expenses monthly or yearly?!
Remove it altogether. Also, for MLAs regardless of where the reside. they have a monthly allowance towards rental property, above and beyond they’re monthly salary. Why? They don’t need that. some even live in the city. no one should get that. They already get paid.
Most recent amazing news I heard is that we’ve already used up out plowing budget of $5 million. ON WHAT? it barely snowed and got cold this winter.
Where did the $5 million go? So instead of hiking the tax, they should fix all this corruption first.
zZz, search HST Increase in NS on google and you’ll find a bunch of sites reporting it that are dated March 10th 2010 and beyond.
For the health care and infrastructure comment. Can you explain to me how other provinces do it without having to rip people off? I don’t see other provinces doing this.
I also don’t understand how it’s even possible for a data entry government employee to earn a starting pay of $29.10 per hr. for just sitting in an office and doing secretarial work. $12, $15 maybe, but $29.10 I don’t think so!!!
So that’s where all your money is going, and that tax hike is not about to fix any problems, it’s about to add to them. It’s going to go straight into the greedy politicians pockets.
The Legislature sits this Thursday at 2 p.m. It’ll probably be a longer session than normal (due to all the issues that’ll be flying back and forth like a steaming turd) so perhaps that will give you time to organize your group and march down to Province House. Best of luck, kid, shout long, shout hard.
all I can say is it better not go through.
sniffy, I can see you are no economist. Firstly, yes, the cost of ‘everything’ is rising, but somehow other provinces manage just fine without raising taxes. Secondly, government employees want a pay raise, yes, but this is exactly what needs to be addressed. Public employees need a wage restraint, period. Quite frankly raising taxes is the worst thing to do. It will leave people with LESS disposable income, and therefore they will spend LESS.
Umm, we do have an NDP government, so taxes go up!
OP, what does the mayor have to do with this? There’s lots about PK (the mayor, not the feline) to bitch about, this isn’t one of those times.
“For the health care and infrastructure comment. Can you explain to me how other provinces do it without having to rip people off?”
(1) Other provinces have higher income tax rates. Last I checked, we were still well below places like Quebec.
(2) Other provinces have things like oil, manufacturing, potash, (real, lucrative) agriculture & fisheries
2% on sales isn’t going to stop many people from buying many things. When times are tough for everyone, we have to give a little more to the best way we have thus far of fairly redistributing the wealth: gov’t.
ideas – quit trolling
Honestly, do you really think that a total of 2% will make that much of a difference? Really?
Let’s put it this way; The federal reduction was political posturing, because the Conservatives couldn’t cut middle income tax bracket taxes (as it would really cut a good portion of government income). So they needed to appease the middle/lower income bracket by tossing them a bone. This is that 2%.
While I certainly understand that there shouldn’t be an increase, there’s one coming. Where would you rather have it? Out of your paycheque, or at point of sale? If it comes out of your paycheque, well that stunts savings and limits your freedom with money. So, a sales tax hike makes more sense. It hits middle income earners less (because at this point, people are spending less, and those who can spend money pay significantly more tax), so really, it’s a band-aid solution to a bad situation.
$7/pack of smokes and $0.97 gas JUST on the other side of the border. Hello?
Exactly kay. What about big ticket items like cars and RVs? Border town companies may suffer.
We are already taxed to death. “Cut the bureaucratic fat. Cut the travel budget. Cut the number of consultants city hall annually hires. Cut, cut, cut. But no more tax hikes.”!
The disappearance if the snow removal budget this year tells Nova Scotians everything they need to know about current leadership. One of the first things I learned coming to the HRM was how people were hired by the municipality to sit on their thumbs lest that wage be removed from next year’s budget. When the up front supervisors think that’s okay we’ve got a SERIOUS problem and you’re living it in Nova Scotia.
Individuals need to enforce the system, not so much government. If individuals were reluctant to be recruited by the back-stabbing, got-their-own-agenda, Greed Club taxation dollars would get to where they need to go but it seems theft and greed rule the hearts of the people who could make a difference rather than much needed integrity, seemingly a foreign concept among Maritime bullies.
The whole of North America is experiencing the results of birth control and a greater proportion of this aging population are seniors. Their needs necessarily rule the budget in our democratic, socialist nation and, yes, Nova Scotia has more than their fair share of seniors. Given the cost of living in Nova Scotia it’s no wonder the young flee to not only earn better wages elsewhere in Canada but to spend less of it while they’re gone. WHY would they come back? I wouldn’t. I’m not! I like seeing my money go almost TWICE as far. Work smart, not hard.
I for one didn’t even make much money in 2009, and I somehow owe the government money on my taxes
“”you don’t go 500 million plus in debt in less than 3 months, it was there, hidden away a long time before the n.d.p. ever came to power…””
Exactly, good poiny. LS
But the bitter and soundly trounced Conservatives are going to hammer us with the “NDP raises your taxes!!” mantra, in everything from letters to the CH, to robo-calls to your phone…just watch.
Personally, I don’t consider it “stealing from me” to pay my share of taxes.
Kay – I disagree that the snow-removal budget over-shoot has anything particularly to do with the current gov’t’s “shortcomings”. Halifax maintains a large fleet of leased and contracted vehicles which must be maintained and manned no matter the weather. Try telling all the folks that bought snow-removal equipment just to lease on, that they ain’t getting paid….
You ARE correct when you say the youth spead out around Canada for opportunity…but that tradition is as old as the hills ’round here…and I DO buy my smokes AND diesel out of province as well…easy for me as a travelin’ dude. It IS expensive here, you have that right – and every time I hear a politician say the cost of living is LESS here, I get mad….even those signs up around Edmonton saying that do as well.
One advantage though, I think, is that when the prodigal sons and daughters return here after years ‘abroad’, they have a pretty good well-rounded experience altogether. In other areas, people tend to live their whole life in one area, and it shows! I understand you yourself missed meeting any of these ‘interesting’ folks, …it may be that you were in the city – mostly students, nightclubbers, city-folks in general…I don’t know. There ARE tons of corn-tooth groggins in the maritimes in general…bad luck if that’s all you met!
I find many interesting Nova Scotians, when they return (we always do…me after 20 years) we tend towards the more interesting, IMO, “outlands” like the South Shore, the Eastern Shore ( for arty types…ewww) or the valley…Bear river is full of freaks, writers, artists and my crazy uncle and aunt…
Anyway, you are right that “money” goes ‘further’ in other parts of Canada…the trouble is, then ya gotta live in, well, other parts of Canada…
cheers
j
Oh c’mon, they need to pay for their tvs, generators and bar dues (or is that tabs) somehow.