HST going up on P.E.I.: Your comments
Most of the online reaction showed disappointment with the tax hike
The harmonized sales tax increase from P.E.I.'s annual budget is getting a lot of people talking.
The one per cent increase was announced Tuesday, in the annual budget speech.
- P.E.I. budget announces increase in HST
- P.E.I. budget misses balanced target in 2016-17
- P.E.I. opposition takes aim at HST hike
We posted the story to our CBC Prince Edward Island Facebook page, and got a lot of reaction — most of them opposed to the hike.
(Please note that usernames are not necessarily the names of commenters. Some comments have been altered to correct spelling and to conform to CBC style.)
"So many folks are having hard times now. After October, when is this ever going to stop. Groceries are way too high now for the middle class ... and now 15 per cent HST in October," wrote Faye Ford.
"I'm disappointed, but not surprised, that people are angry about the tax increase," wrote Jeff Barrett. "Islanders scream for more services, better roads, more money for health and education, and yet expect not to have to pay for it? Maybe we need to start teaching economics in school so the next generation understand you only get what you pay for."
"Ridiculous! Gas up, tourist season is coming. Up with everything on this Island. Hurting the little people again," wrote Cheryl Gingras.
"We keep asking for government services. There is a cost to everything. And who pays for all this? We who are working pay for everyone who is not working. We need to get more people off of their butts and start contributing tax money ASAP," wrote Urban Maclellan.
Jennifer Prinz wrote, "I wonder how the campaign to get Islanders to come home will be affected by this. Hmmm five per cent in Alberta to 15 per cent in P.E.I., sure I love to pay 10 per cent more to purchase the same things."
Many Islanders also reacted to the tax increase on Twitter.
<a href="https://twitter.com/kerrywcampbell">@kerrywcampbell</a> I'll happily do my part to pay for services, but it's not fair that I have to pay HST to heat my home when others don't.
—@melaniebelikIf u thought PEI Gov't was not going to increase HST u must have been living under a rock.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/need?src=hash">#need</a> good paying jobs <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/not?src=hash">#not</a> budget cuts/increases
—@bpmsracingIf the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/peibudget?src=hash">#peibudget</a> increases HST, I won't have a problem as long as accountability follows. Spend it wisely <a href="https://twitter.com/WadeMacLauchlan">@WadeMacLauchlan</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/peipoli?src=hash">#peipoli</a>
—@jbiggleyA good way for Islanders to prosper is by not raising taxes for crying out loud. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/peibudget?src=hash">#peibudget</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/peipoli?src=hash">#peipoli</a>
—@Tenaciousceeee<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PEI?src=hash">#PEI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/budget?src=hash">#budget</a> damning 4 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Arts?src=hash">#Arts</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tourism?src=hash">#Tourism</a> sectors; HST parity is reason NOT 2 visit <a href="https://twitter.com/CBCPEI">@cbcpei</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/islandmorning">@islandmorning</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GOVPEI">@govpei</a>
—@canadianartgirlAnd while the budget had many people riled up, this Twitter user was not.
<a href="https://twitter.com/kerrywcampbell">@kerrywcampbell</a> this is all very anticlimactic. Thank God I bought chips today.
—@BethanyMcNab