It makes sense we tax fairly but also demand government prove value and keep taxes as low as possible.

ANTHONY FUREY | QMI AGENCY

Reasonable people agree that taxation is a necessary evil. Nobody really wants to pay, but they also want basic infrastructure and understand someone has to foot the bill. And the average Canadian also supports some form of basic social safety net to help a neighbour in need.

Given the above, it makes sense we tax fairly but also demand government prove value and keep taxes as low as possible.

But there's a far more extremist philosophy on taxation that is sadly gaining steam these days.

It's the perspective that taxpayers should be grateful they're not having all their money taken away and feel guilty they're not giving more. It's the perspective that any tax scheme that isn't implemented is "lost revenue." It's the view of taxpayer as serf.

Here's an example: a recent report from the left-wing think-tank the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives on Toronto municipal finances. They point out, "There was little discussion of city finances during the 2014 municipal election campaign, nor of how to pay for the services that everyone needs."

True. But that's not news. Most elections are like that.

They right away urge "making fuller use of the property tax, and using council's unique powers under the City of Toronto Act (COTA) to broaden the city's revenue base."

So all taxation powers, full steam ahead! But why no cuts in the convo? Get this: "the city just spent the past four years on a wild goose chase for gravy and had a hard time finding it...The reality is that city management is accustomed to squeezing every dollar."

The whole thing reads like a comedy of errors by indignant tax addicts. The report points out - look, look, the horror! - that there is no local sales tax, no local income tax, no road tolls, that property tax hasn't matched or outpaced inflation, that the vehicle registration tax was eliminated... basically, they're just pissed that Toronto doesn't have every single conceivable tax on the books ... More

Source: Sun News Media - http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/straighttalk/archives/2015/01/20150121-072644.htmlhttp://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/straighttalk/archives/2015/01/20150121-072644.html