Bartolucci 'let his community down' by voting for HST: New Democrats

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Dec 09, 2009- 1:42 PM

By: Sudbury Northern Life Staff

UPDATED Dec. 9 at 2:45 p.m.

Sudbury MPP and Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services Rick Bartolucci is being criticized by the New Democrats for voting in favour of the Harmonized Sales Tax.

“Mr. Bartolucci supported a new tax on gas and home heating that will make life more expensive for Sudbury Area families struggling through a recession,” said Kenora-Rainy River NDP MPP and former Ontario NDP leader Howard Hampton, in a press release.

“He’s let his community down in a big way.”

Legislation to create the Harmonized Sales Tax, which combines the Goods and Services Tax and the Provincial Sales Tax into a single 13 per cent sales tax in Ontario passed third and final reading Wednesday.

Both the NDP and the Conservatives in Ontario have opposed the HST.

The press release said the NDP voted against the “unfair sales tax scheme.”

“New Democrats will keep fighting the implementation of this unfair tax. I’m asking Sudbury residents to join the fight at our website: www.unfairtaxgrab.com,” added Hampton.

Bartolucci told Northern Life that when he gets criticism from Hampton, “the failed leader of the third party” in the legislature, “I accept it for what it's worth — nothing.”

He said the HST will help to create 600,000 jobs in Ontario over the next decade.

The legislation also includes business and personal income tax cuts.

“Did Howie (Howard Hampton), failed leader, tell you that 93 per cent of Ontarians have decreased provincial income tax (because of this bill), and that 90,000 low income earners are going to be going off the provincial income tax roll?” asked Bartolucci.

“I don't know that he told you those things. It's the largest tax cut package in the province's history."

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29 Comments

  • canon5d 12/14/2009 11:22:04 AM - Report Abuse

    its about time the liberals put out an information sheet about the hst so we can make up our own minds on this tax. cant see how big buisness is going to pass there savings onto the consumer.big buisness will benifit more than anyone else thats how i see it.

  • TITO_1 12/12/2009 12:57:40 PM - Report Abuse

    BUBBLES LET US DOWN AGAIN!

  • Mario_3 12/11/2009 10:56:11 PM - Report Abuse

    Funny...........when the Ndp tried to get involved in the Vale strike,they were ridiculed for wasting our time and money.

    When they DIDNT get involved in the Hst vote........they are criticized for not getting involved.

    Lets be honest here.........people only like politicians,when they fight for a cause.........the individual personaly favours.

  • drifter 12/11/2009 3:00:12 PM - Report Abuse

    The NDP say Rick B let his community down by voting for HST.

    Where was our NDP representative from Nickel Belt when the Federal vote took place on this issue?

  • ju1ce 12/11/2009 10:24:38 AM - Report Abuse

    I'm in the same boat Mike where it will hurt more than help. Once again the middle class is taking the biggest hit while the rich and poor get the assistance.

    Creating valuable jobs as opposed to minimum wage jobs to me isn't a "worth while" cause. They are also "making an assumption" based on a forecast that MAY not even come true. There is a lot of hope but actually no real hard proof. When we finally come out of this recession and the natural progression of jobs starts to climb they'll say it was the HST when we all know it wasn't.

    This is actually going to read worse than I'm writing but I am very anti-NDP. One of the reasons is because of their focus on the poor. With all the continued focus on groups, non-profit organizations we're spending more money on them then just giving them the money. I don't agree with giving them the money either so it's a "well what do we do scenario".

    Call me greedy but I don't necessarily want to "share" my money with the rich and poor. I want to enjoy what I can of the life I have. It's enough I'm already supporting everyone through my taxes as is for Health Care etc.

  • MikeK 12/11/2009 10:09:33 AM - Report Abuse

    Thats absolutely fine ju1ce, at least you read the facts and made up your own mind, and not take the word of some politician on either side.

    Its going to hurt me more than help, since my income is over the 80k cutoff for a good income tax break, but sometimes we have to look at the bigger picture and not just our own wallets. If it can create even half of the promised jobs, I think it will be worth it. In the meantime, the NDP will kiss our asses with talk of how much they care about the working stiff, yet accomplish nothing.

  • ju1ce 12/11/2009 9:40:45 AM - Report Abuse

    MikeK:

    Reading that site has made me further alienated to the cause.

    Notice how it has nothing that actually affects you like gas, cable, oh how about poultry, meat that ARE over 4.00 etc etc.. Nothing but bad news but I do like how it's trying to spin it as a positive thing for everyone.

    Good try McGuinty.

  • MikeK 12/11/2009 7:54:51 AM - Report Abuse

    They are in office locally, because they are a union puppet, and Sudbury is a union town. OPSEU, OSSTF, USWA, CUPE all push NDP on their members. I'm in one of these unions, I get the monthly newsletters, I go to meetings, I hear the message. I see the monetary contributions made to the NDP by our Unions using our dues, and in exchange the NDP becomes a puppet...I mean public voice for the unions.

    Truth is you will never hear the whole story from any one party, they all have their own spin and side, just skip the politicians and read the facts and make up your own mind:

    http://www.rev.gov.on.ca/en/taxchange/consumers.html
    http://www.rev.gov.on.ca/en/taxchange/families.html
    http://www.rev.gov.on.ca/en/taxchange/business.html

  • Linux_Advocat 12/10/2009 5:49:16 PM - Report Abuse

    Yes! the HST will benefit some businesses and corps, but at the taxpayers' expense. Many others businesses will be negatively affected ( enrolment rates, operational costs, etc,.) . If the status-quo is really about eliminating "double taxing", that's an Ontario taxation flaw, and should be rectified as such, and not burdened onto the backs everyone else. A tax increase is, indeed, a tax grab. And,..if the local NDP was such a was of time, they wouldn't be in office locally. Remember the Liberals lost those seats.

  • hiding_behind_a_screen_name 12/10/2009 4:46:02 PM - Report Abuse

    I as a Sudbury entrepreneur and local resident applaud the new tax. Sounds weird I know ... but when you look at it from a business stand point it makes the province a much more competitive place.

    Who is this howard hampton they speak of ? What has he done for this province? Aside from being the social consciousness in the back benches. Please tell me what the NDP can do for business ?

    The NDP has zero credibility on this issue ... they talk like they can run the province ....we saw what they did when they were in power. The conservatives are just playing the role of official opposition ...you must oppose new fiscal policies.

    I can't understand why someone would waste a vote on any NDP candidate. Relinquished to the back benches of queens park .... that is where your vote ends up.

  • Linux_Advocat 12/10/2009 2:44:32 PM - Report Abuse

    The shills can say what they want, but they will be taxing in areas that are not taxes now and current tax rates will rise onother stuff. The only ones that can put a positive spin on this is the wasteful Liberals. How much extra taxation will it take to replace the mismanaged megabucks on eHEALTH. Mr. McGuinty, more isn't less and your word means nothing!

  • ju1ce 12/10/2009 12:29:45 PM - Report Abuse

    "That being said, I find it hard to label this a "grab" if in fact I will be earning more as a result."

    You honestly think you'll earn more on your paycheck to compensate for the increase in bills? Go to all your monthly bills and add up all the differences and look at your paycheck and tell me you'll get that back. That doesn't even include the other items that are affected either. Obviously it's not going to affect anyone other than businesses.

    How am I going to see a lower cost for services? I'm sure businesses are going to gain big time. I don't care about the businesses more than I care about my paycheques.

  • SudburyBoy1234 12/10/2009 12:13:11 PM - Report Abuse

    ju1ce,

    I can see how you get the picture of this as a tax grab, as the NDP and Cons have done a good job in portraying it so. That being said, I find it hard to label this a "grab" if in fact I will be earning more as a result.

    Think of it this way, you are going to be seeing a larger paycheque due to the fact that you will pay less income taxes. You will see a reduction in the cost for services, due to lower commercial taxes, and you will also see additional financial assistance through refundable credits.

    Sure, the fact that you will pay more for things like gas is disappointing, but I think the benefits will outweigh the negatives in not too short a time.

    I can tell you, I used to work for the taxation centre here in Sudbury and the amount of money businesses were loosing through two taxes was astronomical. This will be good for all of us, just take an open minded approach to it and do some research on it, not just what the leftist media (like NL) and the NDP and Cons are painting it as.

  • ju1ce 12/10/2009 11:32:58 AM - Report Abuse

    SudburyBoy:

    Okay, so it may be a good thing but I don't think so. Since most of us don't wait for "income tax" to spend money it's going to be absolutely no benefit to us on a day to day basis.

    Instead I have to now adjust based on gas, natural gas, electricity, internet, tv, telephone, cell phone going up. So what it's going to do now is give me LESS money on a day to day basis. That's what I care about. One time payments don't help me other than the day you get them.

    It's a tax grab and not a single person here can convince me otherwise. They gain interest during the course of the year that they "give you some of it back" so how people wouldn't consider it a tax grab is beyond me.

  • Outskirts Oscar 12/10/2009 10:53:30 AM - Report Abuse

    The HST in principle seems to be a good idea... but in reality, that's a different story.

    We would save a lot of taxpayer's money though if we'd get rid of governmental duplication of services. For example, if we merged all the schoolboards, merge the faith-based education system with the public system, amongst the few things, the government would save a lot of money... However, money savings within the government usually means heftier bonuses for the politicians and other fat cats.

    So really, what's the whole point of the government introducing a new tax if our money is to be mismanaged anyways?

    I guess since we live in a conquered territory (for which the meaning of the word Province literally means as such), we don't have much of a voice. McGuinty is just another bull**ter as usual and is just as bad as Illinois' stupid ex-governor, Rod Blagojevich. The RCMP (not the OPP) should just raid the Ontario Legislature, and see what kind of corruption is going on.

  • Old Bloke 12/10/2009 9:57:41 AM - Report Abuse

    Fiddlesticks, this it totally false and Mr Hampton should be ashamed of himself. He proposes to be a part of a party that stands up for seniors like myself, right? Than why did he vote against an increase to my property tax credit and why did he recently ask to raise the PST? He and his party should be ashamed of themselves, using seniors as props to get their party in power. Like SudburyBoy pointed out, they hiked nursing home fees when they were in power.

    I heard from some of my friends that Ms. Gelinas staff is going to seniors homes asking for them to be a part of some kind of rally against this HST. They even went so far as trying to scare some of us into thinking that they would be put on the street by this. I have a weak heart and this is an irresponsible tactic by a politician trying to get a vote.

    I will never vote for the NDP. Mr Hampton, you should be ashamed of yourself!

  • SudburyBoy1234 12/10/2009 9:46:17 AM - Report Abuse

    It’s unfortunate that Howie and his party are resorting to more fear mongering on this issue. They actually did a lot worse for this province when in power than the Libs or Cons. I remember they hiked their gas taxes by over 30 per cent, they raised income taxes and hiked nursing home fees, almost putting my father (who had Alzheimer’s) on the street. I gotta say, they are not giving the whole picture on this, and why would they.

    The truth is, as some other folks here pointed out, this HST thing isn’t going to be so bad. It will take most of us off the tax rolls, reduce the amount of money we give through income taxes and provide more opportunities for job creation with lower commercial taxes.

    If this HST thing was really so bad, and against all NDP principals, than why has an NDP provincial government in Eastern Canada not reversed it?

  • ju1ce 12/10/2009 8:36:57 AM - Report Abuse

    Bye Bye Rick.

  • MikeK 12/10/2009 8:05:00 AM - Report Abuse

    How many of you have actually researched HST and gotten the other side of things? Everyone automatically freaks out when they hear new tax, but its really not as bad as it seems...

    All Ontario taxpayers would see a 16.5% cut in the tax rate on their first $37,106 of taxable income. Ontario families and individuals with up to $80,000 of income would get an average personal income tax cut of 10%.

    Whatever I save come tax time likely wont make up for the extra ill pay on food, gas, utilities, etc., but it wont be the life changing impact people are making it out to be.

    Property taxes on my home shot up 51% last year, added as 17% a year for the next three years... that alone has a far higher impact on my families financial bottom line than HST, and look at how well our city officials are managing our property taxes.

  • canon5d 12/9/2009 11:34:02 PM - Report Abuse

    yes the people at the bottom of the totem pole are going to get hit hard. yes supposed to be that big buisness will pass savings on to consumers. history has shown us that rareley happens.the liberals are going down big in the next election. why 90% are against this tax. oh i forgot the liberal spin this tax will create 600000 jobs dream on mcguinty

  • The Real Mucker 12/9/2009 9:17:58 PM - Report Abuse

    Rick's two pensions = 125,000/year. Not a bad nest egg eh "bubbles", all off the taxpayers back's as well............

  • Maggie_1 12/9/2009 8:12:45 PM - Report Abuse

    Big disappointment Mr. B.....definitely not on my voting list the next time you are in for the elections. You should of checked with the people before you made that decisions as it was the wrong one to make. I guess you just want to be a "good guy" with the party and don't give a hoot for your constituents....open your eyes....you are from Sudbury, a "small town"....so be their for us...not just for yourself and your party.

  • Linux_Advocat 12/9/2009 7:54:12 PM - Report Abuse

    The Grits and the Tories will bear the brunt of our fury come election day 2011. When we fill our cars, heat our homes and purchase goods we will be reminded of this right-winged corporate tax grab. The NDP will not let them forget either.

  • beefy 12/9/2009 6:18:46 PM - Report Abuse

    Mr. Bartolucci, you will be a member of the "third" party after next election. You are showing all of us that you don't care about what your constituents want.

  • Bill_1 12/9/2009 5:47:04 PM - Report Abuse

    Time will tell. From people in business who I've talked to they say very few will gain anything from this HST. That's right 600,00 jobs. In 10 yrs from now we should have that many more immigrants in the country.I was also promised a 6-8% return on my investments.What about the assessments we all just received? Taxes have gone up based on the assessments but home prices are continuing to fall. Don't see any rebates there.People in the North are getting $$$$ as it costs more for anything compared to down South. As for people on fixed incomes. Things WILL get tougher.

  • whiteswan69_1 12/9/2009 5:03:37 PM - Report Abuse

    I would really like Bartolucci to explain to seniors like myself if it's really going to cost us a lot of money with the HST.I get a small pension and I don't get too much money but I live a good life and I really watch what I spend to buy food and other things that I need.If we only get small pensions,I heard that we will not pay any taxes.I certainly would like to find out if this is true.

  • working stiff_1 12/9/2009 4:39:45 PM - Report Abuse

    Sorry to inform you Rick but your party will be occupying third party status in 2012. It is a given, but why should you care if your defeated as you got your teacher's pension and your MPP pension to fall back on.
    In terms of 600 000 new jobs in 10 years and wage increases of 8.8%/year that is pure speculation. Even the smartest minds can't predict the future 10 years from now, not even Mr. Mintz.
    The 90 000 low income earners haven't been contributing too much to the provincial coffers so to have them off the income tax roll is no big deal. Personally, I probably pay more income tax then 5 000 of them put together. Stating 93% of Ontarians will have decreased provincial income tax means very little as it is a relative term. Will these savings make up for this tax grab for the majority of Ontarians? I doubt it. Don't forget people not everyone will receive $1000 because of the two little words "up to".

  • Smartgirl 12/9/2009 3:30:17 PM - Report Abuse

    Bartolucci has done nothing but let this community down on many accounts such as the anti scab law and other issues now the hst. He wits on the fence on all issues unless he is passing money out then he has an opinion. And his opinion is not for the working person in this community

  • Celticvines 12/9/2009 3:20:50 PM - Report Abuse

    Rick Bartolucci has done nothing but be a disappointment to this community since the Liberals took power in Ontario. Where is the Rick Bartolucci that sat in opposition?

    Liberals and Conservatives = the rich getting richer and the middle class becoming poorer. We all know how the Libs and Cons love to bash the poor.

    Do either of these parties ever have anything new to give to society? No..they are for corporations and capitalism, and as long as they are in power societies problems will continue to get worse.
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