Thursday, September 08, 2016

This Day In NOT Clarkland...

ImagineIfWeHadGovernmentByPolicy
RatherThanPressReleaseVille


Just in case you missed it, given the ensuing (manufactured?) flap over his pipeline comment, yesterday opposition leader John Horgan spoke to British Columbians like they are adults about the Lotuslandian real estate situation through his open letter to our fine premier.

Here is a good chunk of that letter:

...Unfortunately while you and your colleagues were denying the very existence of a problem in the Lower Mainland real estate market, conditions worsened. Moreover, in the month since your government passed the hastily written Bill 28, we have seen numerous reports about the many ways in which your tax on foreign nationals is both failing to address the real problems facing Lower Mainland residents and creating significant unintended consequences.

During debate on Bill 28, my colleague David Eby proposed several amendments to the tax that we believe will have a meaningful impact on affordability in the Lower Mainland. While you rejected those amendments out of hand, subsequent developments have both validated those concerns and underscored the need for significant improvements.

First, we proposed amending Section 3 of the bill to define foreign national as an individual who has not paid his or her worldwide income tax in British Columbia for the most recent complete taxation year. It is now clear that such a change would significantly extend the reach of the tax to individuals who may have residency status in British Columbia, but who derive their primary income from foreign jurisdictions. This amendment would make the tax more effective and ensure that its effect was focused on individuals income sources rather than on their nationalities.

Second, we proposed that the Bill be amended in section 3 by redefining foreign national to exempt individuals who hold federal or provincial work permits. It is now clear that your tax on foreign nationals has effectively penalized individuals who are working and paying taxes in British Columbia but who continue to hold foreign passports. This measure is both discriminatory and counterproductive in that it effectively punishes people with unique skills such as visiting university professors and international researchers who are critical to building an educated workforce. Worse still, your Bill makes it even harder for growing BC companies to recruit international talent to the Lower Mainland.

Third, we proposed that the Bill be amended in section 3 to remove the loophole that allows foreign capital to use bare trusts to avoid the current or amended property transfer tax. We can only assume that you chose to leave this well-known loophole in place in an effort to encourage the sale of commercial and multi-unit residential properties to international buyers. However given the crisis in the Lower Mainland rental market, this measure makes little sense and creates an uneven playing field for those who have the financial wherewithal to establish and administer bare trusts...



I mean, honestly...

Can you imagine having a government that actually thought, hard, about what it was doing before it did it?


.

8 comments:

Lew said...

Unfortunately the BC Liberals do think hard about what they do.

But Mr. Horgan's letter highlights the fact that as usual, the BC Liberals only think hard about solving their problems. The NDP thinks hard about solving ours.

Sub-Boreal said...

"(manufactured?) flap" - missed that one. Link?

davemj said...

Geeze this shameless ntof a woman,arrogant above all the people who trusted,believe,d in her and her Cartel.She has shown disdain and indifference to there needs.Has Jackbooted them into the ground,has buried children,taken from the needy,cut funding to health,schools,the elderly,ICBC,BC Medical,BC Ferries.People relying on food banks,wont raise the minimum wage to a livable salary kids going to bed hungry because parents rent are so high.All they do stamp on the people who need the most help.Just makes me think of all B.C,property she gave to her insiders and backers.People who have been associated with this woman and the Liberal party who have been forced out of there jobs,only to get perks,appointments,contracts.Now haakstad is a lobbyist and her contact PREMIER BULLSHIT, WEEEEL gotta keep the the peoples money circulating among the chosen elite a list should made of the C.C CLUB THAT ARE ON HER ERR i mean the peoples dime, Sorry for the rant ,THANKS

Lenin's Ghost said...

Torches and pitchforks!

Anonymous said...

panem et circences
Nero fiddles while Rome burns with pay to play.

RossK said...

Very well put Lew.

______
Sub-Boreal--

Well, you know....Your tax dollars at work.

______
davemj--

And then there's the real debt, piled high into the stratosphere for no good reason at all (other than to cronify the entire province)

______
NVG--

Or...

Young folks voting in droves.

.

Anonymous said...

Corruption, pure and simple. The manipulation of taxpayers, and those who choose to subvert the intent if not obscure the legislation for their own and their supporters benefits.
Remove the malfeasance now, jail the perpatraitors now. This is one of the worst corrupt governments in Canadian history. Call a corruption enquiry once the election has been won, by any other party, than the BC liberals.

Anonymous said...

P3 generally is defined as public private partnership
In BC you have to seriously consider its P3= pay to play before performance