Stop the HST – Cost of buying, owning and selling a home to go up by 8%

Last week, the Government of Ontario formally launched its latest assault on homeowners, purchasers and sellers with the introduction of legislation to harmonize the provincial sales tax and goods and services tax.

Homebuyers and sellers will pay 8 per cent more on legal fees, appraisals, real estate commissions, home inspection fees, and moving costs, adding about $1,500 in new taxes to the average residential real estate transaction in Ontario.

For homeowners the HST will also add hundreds of dollars in additional tax on utility bills (gas, electricity and home heating fuel), on home renovation labour, the cost of lawn upkeep or landscaping and the cost of snow removal.

Please help Ontario REALTORS® fight this tax. In less than 30 seconds you can send an email to your MPP asking them to vote against sales tax harmonization legislation, by clicking here: http://bit.ly/stopthehst

Remember, if we don't raise the issue with the Ontario Government, we won't have any right to complain when we start paying hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars a year in additional tax.

P.S…..The following is a letter that was sent by a lawyer to his distribution list. I found it both enlightening and disturbing. I hope you will at least find it of interest.

As a concerned taxpayer I feel it is important to have you all understand what the new HST or 'blendppped tax' means to Ontarians. It amazes me that this announcement has slipped by without a ripple, and yet when I tell people about the impact to them they are all shocked.

The stated purpose is to blend the GST and the PST into one tax. This will cut down the paperwork burden for Ontario businesses and, in theory, lessen staff by merging both departments. This could be a noble attempt to cut costs. There is just one problem. Rather than just blending the products and services that now charge both taxes, the provincial government has decided that it will apply this new tax to almost ALL GOODS AND SERVICES that you do NOT pay PST on now!

You are about to become the victim of the largest tax hike in our history. How will this affect you? Let's start with just a few things that are to be charged the extra 8% and see if it will affect you or your family.

* photographer
* gasoline;
* diesel;
* propane;
* home heating fuel;
* home electricity;
* natural gas;
* home TV service;
* home internet service;
* cell phone charges;
* vitamins;
* dry-cleaning;
* meals under $4;
* new homes over $500,000;
* gym fees;
* home renovation labour;
* real Christmas trees.
* commercial bus fares;
* train fares;
* accountants fees';
* mechanics' fees;
* ballet lessons;
* rink rental fees;
* tailoring;
* magazine subscriptions;
* mutual fund fees;
* massage;
* chiropractic;
* home phone service;
* hair cuts;
* lawyers' fees;
* audiology;
* plane fares;
* taxi fares;
* grass cutting;
* snow removal;
* camping fees;
* firewood;

*Any service you now use for your home or business such as repairs, other professional services not now eligible, construction materials etc.

These are just a few. See this article referenced below about how the $1,000.00 they are offering will not even cover ½ of the increased cost to the average family. This tax hits Ontarians hard, but ESPECIALLY the low income ones! They will have an 8% increase in everyday life, and yet you will not see their benefits or salaries rise.

<http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/269917>
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/269917

Actually almost everything currently without PST in your life except children's clothing, prescriptions, diapers, and feminine hygiene products will now cost you 8% more. Oh and here is a kicker. The fuel tax will slide with the increasing cost of that fuel. Mr. McGuinty and the finance minister are counting on taxpayers to do what they always do when a new tax is added. Nothing! It is very important that you start to research and
Discuss this with your friends and family. It is not too late to stop this if you are willing to do something as send an email to the premier asking him to either: a) stop the tax grab all together or b) do what was originally intended and blend the tax on the products that now have both taxes and not to extend the new tax to everything else.

If you just sit there remember you lose the right to complain about taxes ever again. Get UP and start telling everyone about this injustice and we can stop this today. Don't think your email won't count. Most MP's, if they get 10 emails, consider it a catastrophe!

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