Dear Editor:

Norman, you make some lovely points in your letter (Human selfishness lies behind fight against HST, Letters to the editor, The Record, Sept. 1), but they are actually misdirected in this case.

If the HST were actually about raising more taxes to spend on our cash-strapped school system and underfunded public services, I would be all in favour.

I agree wholeheartedly that people who whine and complain about having to pay taxes are shortsighted and foolish, as well as selfish.

I find they are also often the first to complain about potholes in their roads, the waiting times for their surgeries and the exorbitant cost of their prescriptions.

This is not a tax increase to pay for much-needed services and programs. In fact, the HST is designed to be revenue-neutral to the province.

Over most of my lifetime, we've already seen the tax burden shift further onto individuals, particularly those who have basic working (rather than investment) incomes.

This is yet another shift to make the load on business lighter, at our expense.

Poor single parents now have to pay tax on things like food and their kids' clothes; these are many small increases to regular purchases that will add up and hit them hard.

Physio treatments, elective surgeries and dozens of other services are now costing significantly more than they used to - but the money isn't going back into the system to help those in need.

The HST is merely an administrative adjustment to make less "red tape" for business, and they are the only ones who will benefit.

Who should our tax system be serving?

Maureen Maier, New Westminster