We Know The Cost Of An Ice Cream Cone Will Go...WHAT ELSE?

Liberals close the door on PC candidate

By KEVIN CONNOR, SUN MEDIA

Taxpayers are "horrified" by the government's new Harmonized Sales Tax, insists the Progressive Conservative candidate running in Thursday's St. Paul's byelection.

"I have been to about 6,000 homes in the last four weeks ... People are really confused about the tax and are confused about their pocket book," Tory hopeful Sue-Ann Levy said outside Liberal opponent Eric Hoskins' St. Clair Ave. W. campaign office yesterday.

Levy, who has taken a leave of absence from her job as a Toronto Sun columnist, branded the HST "the largest tax grab in Ontario history" which will drive up the cost of rent and utilities among many other things.

"During this entire campaign, Eric Hoskins has been making claims that rent and condo fees will not go up under Dalton McGinty's proposed Harmonized Sales Tax. Yet, he has not given us any numbers, any substantial facts on how this could be," Levy said. "St. Paul's voters deserve answers."

According to the Federation of Rental Housing Providers, the HST will drive up rents by $300. The Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario says condo fees will rise by 6%.

"I want to know where Mr. Hoskins really stands on this. Does he agree or disagree with these numbers?

"If he does not agree, I want to see his numbers. I want to see hard facts that prove these fees will not increase," Levy said.

She also called on Hoskins to explain comments he has made about how the HST and other plans the Liberals are implementing will cost the government $2 billion in revenue.

Staff at Hoskins' campaign office closed the building's open doors just before Levy started her press conference.

One staff member said Hoskins was unavailable for comment.

The NDP candidate running in the by-election is Julian Heller.

KEVIN.CONNOR@SUNMEDIA.CA

What is the HST?

The harmonized sales tax (HST) applies in the following provinces (the "participating provinces"):

• New Brunswick
• Nova Scotia
• Newfoundland and Labrador

GST and HST rules are basically the same. The HST rate is 13%, of which 5% is the federal component and 8% is the provincial component. Businesses registered for the GST are automatically registered for the HST, and must collect and remit the 13% HST on the taxable supplies (excluding zero-rated supplies) they make in participating provinces.

Supplies include

• the supply, by way of sale, of tangible personal property;
• the supply, by way of rental or lease, of tangible personal property; and
• the supply of services, if all or substantially all (90%) of the service is rendered in a participating province.