B.C. introduces carbon tax in 'green' budget. fair for us bc 8thers..

[meeks]

British Columbians will be paying more at the fuel pump and less at tax time under a new carbon tax on all fossil fuels unveiled Tuesday as part of the Liberal government's budget.

The balanced budget, introduced by Finance Minister Carole Taylor in the legislature in Victoria, forecasts a total revenue of $38.5 billion and total government expense of $37.7 billion in 2008-09.

The surplus for this budget year is projected to be $50 million, while last year's figure was $2 billion.

"This budget marks a turning point," said Taylor. "It overturns the notion that you have to choose either a healthy environment or a strong economy."

As part of the new tax plan, carbon-based fuels — including gasoline, diesel, natural gas, propane, coal and home heating fuel — will be taxed at $10 per tonne of greenhouse gases generated, starting July 1, 2008.

That will translate into a new 2.4 cents per litre tax on gasoline at the pump and 2.8 cents per litre for home heating fuel.

The carbon tax rate will rise by $5 a year for the next four years, until it hits $30 per tonne of greenhouse gas generated in 2012, said Taylor.

"The principle is simple," said Taylor. "Tax carbon-emitting fuels to discourage their use, and give the money back to people, back to businesses, so they have control. They can make their own choices about how the tax affects them."

The tax will earn the government an estimated $1.85 billion over three years, but Taylor said the plan will be revenue neutral. The government will give all of the money back to taxpayers in the form of tax breaks, she said.

Income tax rates for the first $70,000 earned will be cut by five per cent in 2009, giving B.C. the lowest personal income tax rate in Canada for those earning less than $111,000.

The corporate tax rate will also be cut one per cent to 11 per cent in 2009, and 10 per cent in three years, making B.C.'s corporate tax rates on par with the lowest in Canada.

In total, businesses in B.C. will pay a total tax rate of 25 per cent when federal and provincial taxes are combined, making B.C.'s corporate tax rate 10 per cent lower than the U.S. average, said Taylor.

She also said that in June the government will issue a $100 rebate to every adult and child in the province to offset the cost of the carbon tax.
Taylor says B.C. will lead global warming fight

The budget follows the throne speech last week, in which Premier Gordon Campbell and his government urged British Columbians to take personal responsibility for reducing climate change.

Taylor said that, just as Canadians learned from British Columbians about aerobics, whole grain breads and healthy lifestyles 20 years ago, so will people in the province teach the rest of the country what it means to tackle global warming.

The budget also includes $1 billion over four years for energy efficiency initiatives, including funding for home energy audits and retrofits, sales tax exemptions for energy efficient appliances and vehicles, and clean fuel technologies.

The budget also added $2.9 billion to health care spending over the next three years, and close to $800 million for social services, justice and public safety.

There was also more than $400 million in tax reductions for the film industry, industrial property tax rates and other business taxes.

Total government revenues are forecast to hit $39.4 billion in 2007-08, while total government expenses are forecast to be $37.3 billion in 2007-08.

In 2007-08, the total provincial debt is forecast rise to $35 billion, while the the taxpayer-supported debt to GDP ratio is forecast to decline from 14.1 per cent in 2007-08 to 14 per cent in 2008-09.

source: B.C. budget hikes fuel costs with new carbon tax

so guys what do you think? btw.. the header/title is supposed to say "is it fair for us bc 8thers? how would this affect you and your 8th?"
but made a typo

[PWP_6MT]

I think it's fair. 2.5 cents per litre is only a few dollars per gas tank. Not enough for me to feel any difference.

Given how much I drive, I think i'll end up saving more overall. Barely, though.

Most likely will just break-even.

What do you guys think?

[meeks]

i think its fair as long as consumption taxes is lowered to offset the carbon tax.

[marc-o-lishuz]

<--- Waiting for his $100 check

[ianwells100]

i welcome it - especially given tax neutrality - hell, i'd welcome a 100% tax, as long as it was approximately tax neutral and the money was being used to investigate new sources of energy - it'll likely just go to giving crackwhores more money, or other waste that our gov (and any other gov) does!


will it effect me? no, i get a car allowance based on km driven, so i'm fine - plus after this next year, i don't plan on driving in my line of business, so it really won't hurt me or my family - all others in my family use transit or have business fuel cards

edit: i should mention, my stance on this has nothign to do with me, i get 35 miles/gallon (using british gallons) day in, day out - its all the people in big trucks, SUV's and old boats that bother me - if you need a truck for work, fair enough, there should be tax breaks for you, but if not, tax the living hell out of them... this will really help differentiate those who need the larger vehicles and those who have them for some sick, twisted pleasure
i cannot wait until we adopt a more european stance on vehicles - the smaller, lighter, and more efficient the better! i was recently in england and got taken in a little renault clio, weight 900kg, 130hp or so - thing flew!!! the hottest of the late 90's hot hatches, but light and a lot more efficient than the equivalent north american car - and better handling

i guess the thing to watch out for is what happens when the rav line opens up - i hear they're going to take away bus routes (602,603,604 tsawwassen to downtown) to force ridership - if this is the case, then it'd become a bigger issues for those around me

[meeks]

Originally Posted by marc-o-lishuz

<--- Waiting for his $100 check

after 10 million months of waiting. im hoping thats not going to be the case on this one

[stoke]

I drive too little to feel the effect of 2.4cents/L. Only 8200km on car since i got it last april.

[marc-o-lishuz]

"Carbon Tax" is bullshit. We're already being taxed ridiculous amounts on fuel + 12% sales tax as it is. On top of that, we pay one of the highest prices per litre (yes, today it was $1.189/L).

Other towns and cities are paying much much less. Why? Is our government fiscally irresponsible? Maybe we need to change who's in charge, not add another cash cow. Vancouverites are already stretched to the max (high housing, high taxes, low wages, random *cough* 2010 Olympic expenses *cough*), we need to be able to save our money. No wonder there are so many homeless.

With a Bachelor of Science from a prestigious university, I'm just getting by. I don't need another "tax" that I will end up paying because I have no alternative.

[ianwells100]

Originally Posted by marc-o-lishuz

"Carbon Tax" is bullshit. We're already being taxed ridiculous amounts on fuel + 12% sales tax as it is. On top of that, we pay one of the highest prices per litre (yes, today it was $1.189/L).

Other towns and cities are paying much much less. Why? Is our government fiscally irresponsible? Maybe we need to change who's in charge, not add another cash cow. Vancouverites are already stretched to the max (high housing, high taxes, low wages, random *cough* 2010 Olympic expenses *cough*), we need to be able to save our money. No wonder there are so many homeless.

With a Bachelor of Science from a prestigious university, I'm just getting by. I don't need another "tax" that I will end up paying because I have no alternative.

think to europe, their prices are near double ours - mostly due to more taxation (to pay for flippin' eastern europeans - don't get me started!!)
we live too nice of a life in north america, savings rates are negative, etc.. most of us drive around in new cars - maybe we should think about giving up some of hte nicities? - but that's a personal choice we all have

i hope with continued increases in prices, it FORCES the gov. to improve transit to give us an alternative - we need an alternative & we need better transit

and to the fact that we have the highest prices in north america - that really is BS - i don't really see why that is, something smells bad in our government!!! thats another area of reform you don't want to get me started on...

[meeks]

Originally Posted by marc-o-lishuz

"Carbon Tax" is bullshit. We're already being taxed ridiculous amounts on fuel + 12% sales tax as it is. On top of that, we pay one of the highest prices per litre (yes, today it was $1.189/L).

Other towns and cities are paying much much less. Why? Is our government fiscally irresponsible? Maybe we need to change who's in charge, not add another cash cow. Vancouverites are already stretched to the max (high housing, high taxes, low wages, random *cough* 2010 Olympic expenses *cough*), we need to be able to save our money. No wonder there are so many homeless.

With a Bachelor of Science from a prestigious university, I'm just getting by. I don't need another "tax" that I will end up paying because I have no alternative.

i agree. i guess if they're saying they will lower other taxes it would be fine to offset this bs of a tax. maybe another move to get re-elected? yes? and yes, this thing inflates over the next 3 years.. it would accumulate to 15.4 or something cents over what other canadians are paying.. add that to what marc said " + 12% sales tax as it is. On top of that, we pay one of the highest prices per litre (yes, today it was $1.189/L). " i heard on news 1130 that critics predicted (sorry forgot name, cant give you the viable source) that in within 3 years.. we would pay $2.15

the fact remains this tax will raise the cost of living even further. The price of regular gas tonight is $1.195 per liter and the "carbon tax" hasn't even arrive yet.

how are those ideas supposed to help the truckers, the taxi drivers, those who operate mobile businesses, etc?

not only will I as a BC citizen get affected, but I will be covering every businesses' kicks as well. anything that moves in BC, be it by water, rail, road, or air will cost more.

the prices of consumer goods go up, and guess what, the net dollars collected on PST will increase as well, essentially a tax on tax. No wonder the government loves this plan. perhaps the PST should be eleminated as part of this revenue neutral plan?... i think that would be a good thing to offset this carbon bs thing.

too early to tell but im honestly scared. would i, a college student, would be able to afford driving from vancouver - coquitlam - vancouver on a daily basis as my part time job only supports me enough for gas that is well budgeted and my tuition fees etc etc..?this means no more mods for me for a while... or maybe forever.. i dont know. this is the impact on me and my 8th.

si drivers.. what do you guys think? will the immediate increase of a 2.4cents/L affect you? or how about in the long run once this inflates to 15.4 something cents/L? top it with oil prices going up in the world market + 12% sales tax

[marc-o-lishuz]

Taxi drivers, truckers, etc can write off fuel costs as part of doing business. It's the everyday drivers (students, especially) that have to eat up these added taxes.

The fact of the matter is - BC likes to tax fuel because we can't do anything about it. What are we gonna do? Boycott gas for a day? Week? Month? We'll only end up shooting ourselves in the foot by doing that.

I like to use the word "entrapment" because it best suits this lunacy.

As for fuel for my Si - I get around 350kms per tank at around $48-53 per full-up (on 92 Octane). Is another $3-5 gonna stop me? No.

[meeks]

Originally Posted by marc-o-lishuz

Taxi drivers, truckers, etc can write off fuel costs as part of doing business. It's the everyday drivers (students, especially) that have to eat up these added taxes.

The fact of the matter is - BC likes to tax fuel because we can't do anything about it. What are we gonna do? Boycott gas for a day? Week? Month? We'll only end up shooting ourselves in the foot by doing that.

I like to use the word "entrapment" because it best suits this lunacy.

As for fuel for my Si - I get around 350kms per tank at around $48-53 per full-up (on 92 Octane). Is another $3-5 gonna stop me? No.

i know its too early to say, but how about the inflation to 15.4 something cents in within 3 years.. what do you think?

[marc-o-lishuz]

Originally Posted by meeks

i know its too early to say, but how about the inflation to 15.4 something cents in within 3 years.. what do you think?

Well, there's the regular inflation rate which tends to drive up costs of goods, then add on top of that the imflation rate of the Carbon Tax. Essentially, we get dinged twice. Over time, I won't be surprised if we pay $3/L.

[bluetree0704]

XXXX bc goverment..

i am seriously thinking about moving back to ON..

[PK-]

i dont think a measly couple bucks extra per tank is guna stop anybody from driving. and those people who already drive huge suv's given the high gas prices now probably can afford to shrug it off anyway. i think its just a clever way to get some extra dough - they KNOW driving habits will not change, and that people WILL pay regardless. i mean, if you really want to make a change, hike up the prices even more so people won't be able to afford to drive, i mean, thats what they're trying to do isn't it? granted i don't know much about how the government uses our tax dollars, being a student who has his expenses, any extra money out of my account is unwelcome. i feel like the governent is a bully taking my lunch money! literally!

[marc-o-lishuz]

So I dug a little deeper into this BS "Carbon Tax" and found something interesting.

Our lovely government is giving everyone in the province some money to promote a more "green" lifestyle in the form of a $100 check. Horray, they're paying for their own tax, you think? But what they don't tell you is that heating costs and electricity are going up too. Basically, they're giving us money to shut us up. "Here's $100. See, we're paying for your gas! Oh and BTW, we're gonna creep up the prices of other energy sources but you can't say sh!t coz we gave you money."

Soooo... $100 for CARBON tax, eh? Hmm... what's the carbon discharge in Electricity again? Oh that's right, ZERO. What about natural gas? The discharge from the combustion of natural gas is Heat + H20 + CO2. OMFG! CO2... that's carbon mothafukaz! WOOOO!!! Guess what else gives off CO2? Humans. Animals. Plants. Yes, everything (almost) gives off CO2. So what, BC Government, are you gonna tax my dog for breathing?

Yeah. You go, girlfriend.

[meeks]

amen to that.. = cost of living in bc to rise up. lol i even wonder if im going to be able to afford living after i grad LOL 2010 here i come! yup heres $100... but we're screwing you over! we'll see in the long run whats gonna happen.

if they want to cut co2 emissions, there are a lot of alternative ways to do so. promoting green cabs (hybrid cabs) i think is one of them. i dont know man.. some move to get them re-elected IMO

[marc-o-lishuz]

Originally Posted by meeks

some move to get them re-elected IMO

Pretty lame move, me thinks. The plan is full of holes. And it's gonna cost them more than $100 to buy my vote

[Sleepy]

I am guessing one would have to file back taxes to get this check?