Re: Andrew Holota column, June 11.
I read with some interest your observations on our dilemma not of our making.
Both my wife and I are retired, middle income, no mortgage, but still feel we are being constantly squeezed by increasing costs.
When on a fixed income, one must always weigh what it is they are going to spend money on from what is left from our disposable income.
We were around when a former prime minister promised to eliminate a tax if elected only to change his mind.
I accept the fact that this HST is a tax that will generate more cash for the provincial government than the PST, and I also know that it will be the taxpayer who will fund those expenditures, which seem to increase every year more than the cost of living of which my pension does not.
Recently the house in Victoria sat for 24 days, of which each and every member of the political parties claimed or could claim $60 per day for meals, no receipts required. I guess the issue for us, is our tax dollars being spent wisely?
If you look at our total taxes and fees paid in British Columbia, perhaps we are not getting the bargain our elected officials tell us.
So what can we do – we have reduced our restaurant dining, movie nights are now a thing of the past, no longer subscribe to the Sun, and on and on.
When the mayor or TransLink, or any taxing authority increases our cost, that money only comes from our disposable income, so in Mission we have become Wal-Mart shoppers.
I do wish we had a nice warm fuzzy feeling about this, but we were not told the truth, and the same players remain and ask us to believe and trust them, not sure why we should.
We are still both undecided on the HST issue.
Fred and Judith Ray Reynolds