Re: 鈥淗omeowners must apply for spec-tax exemptions,鈥� Jan. 16.
Let鈥檚 call it what it is 鈥� a Trojan Horse tax grab. A vacancy tax that trumps a speculation tax.
Not only does this tax miss the target, it insults 1.6 million people, mostly British Columbians. It assumes homeowners are guilty until proven otherwise. Last time I looked, our justice system was based on the opposite and home ownership was not a crime.
In the business world, that is called negative-option billing, which is outlawed. Ironically, we need consumer protection from the actions of our own government.
The goal of affordable housing is very important. But this NDP law does more economic damage to the housing sector than good, as it chases offenders, which are said to be a mere one per cent. So why pick on 99 per cent, who the government says are law-abiding? How is that fair?
Instead, why not come up with real incentives for builders and developers to create more housing, whether for the middle class or the homeless? And then, get out of the way.
I am not against paying taxes, it鈥檚 the financial foundation of our society. But taxes have to be fair to all.
As Gary Mason writes in the Globe & Mail: 鈥淲ithout question, this is the stupidest thing that the NDP has done since gaining power.鈥�
Let鈥檚 hope the good folks of Nanaimo will change the power balance in the upcoming byelection.
Bill Currie
Victoria
