The newly implemented harmonized sales tax will increase the amount of tax charged to the British Columbian consumers for a variety of services. Mobile phone services and long distance services are already charged a 5% GST and a 7% PST, meaning the new 12% HST that is now charged doesn’t change the overall cost. However, local phone services and basic cable television will now have the additional HST applied, effectively increasing the amount of tax paid on these items from 5% to 12%.
Maintenance services home-owners often take advantage of, such …

Ontario families may be eligible to receive HST transition cheques (Ontario Sales Tax Transition Benefit) from the government to help them cope with the implementation of Harmonized Sales Tax on July 1st, 2010.
Eligible individuals and families will receive 3 tax free payments in June 2010, December 2010 and June 2011. Individuals will receive a maximum of $300 paid in $100 amounts on the dates listed here. Eligible single parents and couples will receive up to a maximum of $1000 spread out over those sames dates. Single individuals earning more than $82,000/year …

At the 2005 National Sales Tax Symposium David Robertson presented a paper that compared the current taxation system with a value added tax. His findings suggested that “the VAT is more equitable, less regressive, less susceptible to evasion and does not limit international competitiveness and domestic prosperity in the dramatic way that RSTs do.”

Follow this link to read SALES TAX HARMONIZATON: THE FACTS & NOTHING BUT THE FACTS

Below David gives a brief example of how a harmonized tax can help provinces…