HST and cycling.... NO to a Tax on Bicycles !
ron
It is really important that you read this and take the opportunity to sign the petition. It only takes a moment to do so, but this really needs to be done.
Or, are you in favour of taxing the purchase of bikes and related equipment?
Please sign the petition here: www.saanichsouth.ca
Ron Richings
Name: Lana Popham
Email: lana.po...@leg.bc.ca
Nov. 5, 2009.
Hi, everybody,
This week in the B.C. legislature I took on a
challenge from Ian Black, the
Honourable Minister of Small Business. Minister
Black claims no bike stores
have contacted him regarding the new 7% tax on
bicycles; and he is arguing
that making bicycles less affordable will not
reduce bike sales.
I’m saying cyclists all over British Columbia agree that increasing the
cost
of cycling is not going to get more people riding
their bikes! We don’t want
our government to add a new tax on buying a bike.
No HST on bikes in BC.
It also directly contradicts the BC Liberal
government’s “Great Goal” of
making our province environmentally sustainable.
To meet our provincial Climate Action Plan Goals
we must strengthen
transportation options like cycling. The HST on
bicycles and cycling
equipment will create a disincentive to cycling.
Visit a Victoria
bike store like Recyclistas and you’ll hear how many view
this issue.
"[The HST] is kind of frustrating”, said Luke
Postl of Recyclistas,
“especially with things like helmets. Helmets are
already a huge chunk of
money for some people. You have to wear them, or
you get a fine, and now the
cost is going up. The cost is going up on other
accessories too — oil and
grease, patch kits, reflective stickers and locks.
All of that was
PST-exempt. I'm against the HST. I think it will
alienate a lot of people
from riding. It's added a cost that is too much.
The cost of living is
already exorbitant, and the minimum wage isn't
going up.”
This week I reminded the Minister that for almost
thirty years bicycles have
had an exemption to the provincial service tax.
This has always been good
policy: it supports healthy living and less polluting
transportation.
John Luton,
a Victoria City Councilor and transit expert sums it up:
“Cycling is our
fastest growing mode of transportation, especially in
Victoria and Vancouver. When it comes to cycling, Victoria is
setting
standards across the country demonstrating the
viability of cycling as an
environmentally friendly, convenient and low cost
commuting alternative.
During a time when governments across the world
are looking at ways to
encourage cycling, our government has imposed a
brand new tax on bikes. It
just doesn’t make sense - and this decision must
be reversed.”
I want the government to withdraw the Bill
creating the HST and develop a
tax plan based on consultation and the will of the
province. We just
completed an election where the Liberals said in
writing they were not
contemplating a HST. Bringing it in now without a
public debate is an
affront to democracy.
I am asking
every cyclist and environmentally-responsible person out there
to sign the petition at: www.saanichsouth.ca
Best, Lana
(We've created a pdf version of the petition you
can can print out and
display at bike shops etc. If you want me to email
you a copy, let me know.)
Lana Popham
Member of the B.C. Legislative Assembly, Saanich
South
lana.po...@leg.bc.ca
Constituency Office
4085
Quadra Street, Victoria, B.C. V8X 1K5
phone
250.479.4154 facsimile 250.479.4176
www.saanichsouth.ca
