Smart Policy (With A Caveat)
OTTAWA — The Green Party is calling for gasoline costs to rise by 12 cents a litre, but it is also urging cuts to income and payroll taxes so that consumers can afford to make smart environmental choices.
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Providing ALL new revenue was moved towards tax cuts with impact, I can support raising the gas tax. However, I'm still trying to figure out how to minimize the economic impact of rural Canada where highway driving is a way of life. Once I figure that out, I'll really get behind the cause.
Here is a idea for the country......maybe the new gas tax should not apply to farm or purple fuel. Most of those farmers use purple in their trucks anyway.
Posted by
JCotton |
11:02 AM
The problem with raising gas taxes is that it effects the price of everything... Shipping costs will go through the roof!
Now with OPEC threatening to raise prices if green technologies keep encroaching on demand, it's time to give-up this silly idea.
Posted by
Anonymous |
12:05 PM
Gas prices have already gone up nearly 30 cents/litre in the past 6 months (see Gas Buddy's chart).
But because the increase has been gradual people learn to cope and there isn't a huge outrage. But if we can deal with a 30 cent increase, why not tack another 15 cents on there. If it happens all at once people will be pissed off, but maybe that will be the jolt they need to change their habits. Because the gradual increase over the past 6 months doesn't have people abandoning their cars for public transit.
I think we need one big increase now. Hopefully that spurs change. And you can take 1/3 of the extra revenue for individual tax cuts, 1/3 for corporate tax cuts, and 1/3 for environmental programs.
Posted by
Chris |
3:27 PM
I desperately wish that those who did not live "downtown" got to experience life outside the bubble.
I would LOVE to be able to take public transit to work. I live in the GVRD in BC (Greater Vancouver Regional District) but to TAKE public transit, I need to drive 10-15 minutes away (and only runs a couple of times a day). Then, due to the fact transit doesn't really go where I work, I need to take the bus to the Skytrain station, tak the skytrain across the river as buses don't cross the bridges except into downtown Vancouver, then get off skytrain and backtrack on public transit for an hour. Which then makes it 2+ hours each direction to get to work.
Being part of the GVRD I already have some of if not the highest taxes in Canada on my fuel to subsidize transit and environmental inititives, with the transit authority trying to institute additional levys on roads.
I am not the only one stuck driving. If you don't live in one of the large cities, you have a bus that *MIGHT* run near your house what....twice a day???? How sweet, so you are forced to pay additional money with no recompense.
All that being said, if the rest of the taxes I pay were removed, go for it....add 15 cent/litre tax on fuel. If you are not, get your grubby hands off MY money I work hard to earn.
Posted by
Anonymous |
8:04 PM
Anonymous - the taxes you pay for fuel don't just fund transit and environmental initiatives. They also pay for highways and roads. I'm sick of people complaining about transit subsidies when we spend a hell of lot more tax money fixing roads and building more lanes on highways than we ever have on transit. Transit is an investment that saves the government money, even when you ignore the environmental savings and health benefits when people leave their cars at home.
Posted by
Chris |
12:46 PM