Michael Berry (The News, June 21) mentions the amount of money the provincial government will have to reimburse the federal government if the HST is extinguished.
This money, approximately $350 for every man, woman and child in the province will have to be borrowed at an annual cost of some $85 million — more money out of your pocket and mine.
Then there would be the cost of re-instating the government department to administer the collection of the PST.
This cost is estimated at between $15 million to $20 million for startup and another $35 million annually.
The premier has promised to reduce the provincial portion of the HST by two percentage points over the next three years. That same promise has not been extended to the PST if reinstated. You and I would lose again if we extinguish the HST.
Being mad at former Premier Campbell is not a valid reason for wanting to extinguish the HST.
Lou Gueho
Parksville
