Fewer dollars in the kitty might make government spending more responsible
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Updated: November 07, 2009 8:24 PM
To the editor:
In response to The Underground Economy That Fuels Tax Evasion” (Nov 4 Capital News), I believe the last line is misleading. It reads: “Use your accountant and financial planner to help you plan for tax deferral as opposed to illegal tax evasion or tax avoidance.”
Just to clarify, tax avoidance is not illegal.
To quote the CRA website: “Tax avoidance results when actions are taken to minimize tax, while within the letter of the law, those actions contravene the object and spirit of the law.”
So minimizing tax goes against the “spirit” of paying taxes.
The author also mentions that with less tax being paid, programs will have to be cut, such as health care, Employment Insurance, pensions, etc. But what about the more controversial spending? Why not cut the $18 billion a year spent on our military? Or the $80 million spent each year on abortions? How about the $300,000 a year the Prime Minister makes? Or the $150,000 a year that each of the 308 members of parliament get? What about the gun registry program that cost us $1 to 2 billion? And the $9 billion given annually to First Nations? All very controversial topics.
Perhaps without a large reservoir of tax dollars to play with the government would be more responsible about spending?
Les Tipton,
Kelowna
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