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Originally Posted by powderjunkie
Ok, the top 5%. We can afford to pay more [if it's that important to us].
This is a simple, relatively gentle force on certain consumer decisions. Not much different than the price of many commodities [which can be heavily influenced by political decisions].
Perfect doesn't need to be the enemy of good. Perhaps there are other areas this could apply: any wine or liquor over $100? Maybe with an exemption to local products (if possible given trade agreements).
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This is precisely the problem, and why the GST was instituted in teh first place. It used to be the case that there were tariffs and taxes on individual items, all different, and none of it fair, or easy to track. One of the primary benefits of a general sales tax, is that it is easily implemented across all industries, and is fair (all industries treated the same.
Quote:
Originally Posted by powderjunkie
If we want to do bike to car comparisons, I'd say:
$400 bike = base Hyundai Accent
$700 bike = base Honda Civic
$1000 bike = mid trim CRV
$1500 bike = mid trim 4Runner
$100k equivalent would be at least $3000.
I wonder what the sales numbers are of $3k + bikes vs. $100k autos...I suspect a lot more of the latter. Cars (and boats, RVs, etc. )are a purchase that already involve red-tape, so it makes sense from an implementation standpoint.
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That's the thing - it is impossible to determine what is a luxury from one product to the next, and no one will agree. Best to have a single standard.
Many of you are probably too young to remember what it was like before the general sales tax - different rules and different tariffs and taxes in every industry.