Clark’s Liberals have been taxing us more by stealth
Contrary to our provincial government’s insistence that they have been holding the line on tax increases, B.C. residents once again face our yearly increased payments for ICBC, medical service premiums and hydro. Our money goes into general revenue under the guise of necessary increases to cover the costs of those institutions.
We are told that Medical Services Plan payments are necessary because of the increased costs to our health care system, yet only 13 per cent of these premiums go into the health system, while 87 per cent goes into general revenue.
We are also told that the increases to ICBC for car insurance is necessary because of the increase in the cost of claims, yet the B.C. Liberal government has taken more than $1.8 billion out of ICBC in the last eight years.
Hydro’s expenses have gone up, yet at times they have had to borrow money so that the provincial government could take its cut. All of this from a government that insists it hasn’t increased taxes.
We all know taxes are necessary, that is not the issue. The issue is that we are not children, we do not believe in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy or the Easter Bunny any more than we believe that our taxes have not increased. John White, Surrey
ICBC renewals waste of time
Our car insurance renewal at ICBC is coming up and I am again reminded of the ridiculousness of this procedure. Between 30 minutes to one hour will be spent waiting for a turn to sit with an agent and another 10 to 20 minutes to complete the transaction.
Consider then that all families in B.C. participate in this rigmarole, amounting to a colossal waste of time throughout this province. What is wrong here? In many other provinces, one simply calls the agent and the renewal is completed over the phone with a credit card. Yearly decals are sent in the mail or are quickly provided with a short visit to an office.
ICBC is convinced that all British Columbians need a broker to review their car insurance every year. For the majority of British Columbians, this is unnecessary leading one to wonder why we put up with the power ICBC has over our lives. Cathrine Waring, Penticton
Plight of poor ignored
Re: Tax changes leave couple out in cold, Jan. 11
I can’t believe the amount of ink given to people who have seen skyrocketing gains in wealth through home ownership, a small number of whom might have to forsake their homeowners’ grant, a tax break worth less than two dollars a day, a tax a great many can defer anyway.
What if we saw as much media coverage telling us the stories of people on welfare, most of whom are disabled, and how they have been treated by Christy Clark’s government? What if we could see how two more dollars a day could change their lives? Too often, welfare cheques are associated with addicts. The typical people on welfare are almost invisible. Let’s hear their stories. Enough about the homeowners’ grant already. Carl Steele, Burnaby