What a Waste of Time

[Brandy456]

I was told our government is able to live off the tickets paid by people who get in trouble with the police. It actually sounds reasonable.. with all the tickets going out.
Here in Canada we get taxed for every little thing we buy. You buy a 5 cent paper bag from the grocery store? thats 1 cent tax.
It's kind of pathetic, and I wouldn't mind as much if this didn't personally fund the shopping habits.
Not only are they messing up your country by getting it deep in debt for useless stuff, lieing to you, but I have to buy them clothes and shoes?
I've seen politicians promise aesthetic stuff, but i've never seen one helping the people, feeding the hungry, providing shelter, things like that.
Until I see a difference in them, none of them deserve my vote.

 

[naturestee]

You must have some crazy expensive tickets in Canada! Here, our tickets aren't nearly enough to cover the police stations they go to. I'm betting that whoever said that has no idea what it costs to run police and fire stations, much less all of public services.

Keep in mind that it is hard to lump every single politician, federal and local, together. Some do a pretty good job under the circumstances. I've seen some really good aldermen, sheriffs, and District Attorneys.

 

[Brandy456]

naturestee wrote:

You must have some crazy expensive tickets in Canada!  Here, our tickets aren't nearly enough to cover the police stations they go to.  I'm betting that whoever said that has no idea what it costs to run police and fire stations, much less all of public services.

Keep in mind that it is hard to lump every single politician, federal and local, together.  Some do a pretty good job under the circumstances.  I've seen some really good aldermen, sheriffs, and District Attorneys.

A professor who teaches police on how to.. well, be a police (Was my brothers professor last year)
Tickets here (atleast what i've seen) are insane. My mom got ticketed 150$ for 2 feet past a no park zone. She even had her handicap permit, and the other lenght of her car was in the parking zone, but they ticketed her that, and when she said they couldn't do that because the permit, they said that she couldn't prove it.
Like, people get tickets for stupid things, and they aren't cheap.. so thats why I mentioned it, because it's believable and i'm sure they're just rolling in it

 

[BridgetsFlame]

As to choosing not to vote, us Aussies have no choice we get slapped with a nice big fine if we don't rock up on election day and put our votes in...

I continue to remain astounded at how much people complain about tax. Come down to Australia some time, we're not even very high up on the list of the countries with the highest taxes, but we still pay a heck of a lot more then Americans. And I honestly think it's fantastic. I'm a student and if I need a doctor? rock up at a doctors office or hospital, give them my medicare card and I only pay the smallest percentage of what it would have cost. If I need a prescription filled I give them my medicare card and get medicine very cheaply.

I'm at university studying a law degree, there is no way on God's green earth I could pay for a law degree. But we have HECs which pays for most of the degree and the rest is very gradually deducted from my income when I graduate.

We have GST, that's 10% tax on every item, but honestly considering the benefits I receive I don't get why tax is such an issue.

For someone unknown reason we here a lot about the American elections here in the land of Oz, and every time election time comes around there's someone declaring that tax is despicable while at the same time demanding free education and better and free medical care, umm these are typically related?

Sorry I just don't get why taxes are such a bad thing, you pay them and you get something back? Yes some money supports those less fortunate but what happens if you end up as one of those people? oh she didn't pay her taxes so we won't help her?

And yes I do get infuriated by it, sorry for the rant.

 

[Brandy456]

BridgetsFlame wrote:

As to choosing not to vote, us Aussies have no choice we get slapped with a nice big fine if we don't rock up on election day and put our votes in...

I continue to remain astounded at how much people complain about tax. Come down to Australia some time, we're not even very high up on the list of the countries with the highest taxes, but we still pay a heck of a lot more then Americans. And I honestly think it's fantastic. I'm a student and if I need a doctor? rock up at a doctors office or hospital, give them my medicare card and I only pay the smallest percentage of what it would have cost. If I need a prescription filled I give them my medicare card and get medicine very cheaply.

I'm at university studying a law degree, there is no way on God's green earth I could pay for a law degree. But we have HECs which pays for most of the degree and the rest is very gradually deducted from my income when I graduate.

We have GST, that's 10% tax on every item, but honestly considering the benefits I receive I don't get why tax is such an issue.

For someone unknown reason we here a lot about the American elections here in the land of Oz, and every time election time comes around there's someone declaring that tax is despicable while at the same time demanding free education and better and free medical care, umm these are typically related?

Sorry I just don't get why taxes are such a bad thing, you pay them and you get something back? Yes some money supports those less fortunate but what happens if you end up as one of those people? oh she didn't pay her taxes so we won't help her?

And yes I do get infuriated by it, sorry for the rant.

Is this towards me?
If so, I'm canadian, and I get the same 'benefits' as you do. Healthcare, and such.
AND, our taxes are higher then yours.
We pay 15% on some items, and 13% on others (I think one is clothing/stuff like that and the other is petrol/food)
and that's depending on where you live, if you live in a certain province, and work in another, (Quebec and Ontario are separated by a little bridge) you pay even more.
If not, then this is a warning not to move to Canada

 

[BridgetsFlame]

Not towards anyone in particular, just a comment on the general view that taxes are money spent to help other people, when they a rein fact helping yourself...

Though last time I looked at it Aus was still higher than Canada- http://www.worldwide-tax.com/ Shrugs, either way tax is a good thing...

 

[Brandy456]

I just went by the percentage you gave me,

 

[BethM]

Brandy456 wrote:

If not, then this is a warning not to move to Canada

I'd rather pay more taxes and get more services in return. If Canada wasn't so darned cold, I'd move there in a heartbeat.

 

[fuzz16]

ya...health insurance here is so high...

 

[Brandy456]

BethM wrote:

Brandy456 wrote:

If not, then this is a warning not to move to Canada

I'd rather pay more taxes and get more services in return.  If Canada wasn't so darned cold, I'd move there in a heartbeat. 

Vancouver?

 

[degrassi]

Is this towards me? If so, I'm canadian, and I get the same 'benefits' as you do. Healthcare, and such. AND, our taxes are higher then yours. We pay 15% on some items, and 13% on others (I think one is clothing/stuff like that and the other is petrol/food) and that's depending on where you live, if you live in a certain province, and work in another, (Quebec and Ontario are separated by a little bridge) you pay even more. If not, then this is a warning not to move to Canada

I think Canada is one of the better countries to live in.What is so bad about canada? Which countries do you think are better?

Ontario is just unlucky that it has such high sales taxes.You are a big province with a high population and the province needs to get the money somewhere. Here in Alberta we only have to pay 5%, and thats down from 7% a few years ago. But we are lucky to be one of the richer provinces.

But i'm thankful everyday for what my taxes give me. We have a decent(not the best) healthcare system. If i'm sick it doesn't cost me 1000$-100000$ of dollars to visit the hospital. If I go to university its only 5000$/year instead of 20-40 000$/year. Our roads could be better(potholes all the time from winter) but have you driven much in the US, our roads are still better. We have tons of government services that are very helpful if you use them.

I think most of the problem is not paying taxes or high taxes but its how the countries/states/provinces use them. Everyone knows governments and bureaucracy are not the most efficient way to run things and most of the money doesn't get to where it needs to go.

 

[Brandy456]

I didn't say Canada was a bad country?