PST in BC update

This is very odd.  My husband, a teacher, received a letter addressed to him, from the Outreach Project Manager in the BC Ministry of Finance this week. It's about how to consult with PST specialists.

This is very odd. He's never been a registrant and he's definitely not an accounting professional. I wonder if all the teachers in BC received this letter, or somehow I've morphed in to his name in their files by some miraculous magic trick. Or, did they send the letter to the wrong list of people? It's funny, they don't seem to want to treat teachers as professionals and definitely don't want to pay them as professionals, they must have slipped up.

The letter informs him that professionals will be able to contact PST Tax Specialists by calling toll free 1 877 388 4440 or by email CTBTaxQuestions@gov.bc.ca

He can also request a consultation with a ministry tax specialist by requesting on a form a www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/ctb/ask_a_tax_specialist.htm

Someone will contact him directly. It says he can find out more at www.PSTinBC.ca and subscribe to what's new page at www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/msbr/whats_new?consumer_taxes/whatsnew.htm

I suggested he call or email now, as every teacher in the province likely received this letter and of course,  is interested in how PST works. They'll all want to know is whether school supplies will once again be exempt from tax and whether kids clothing will qualify as exempt. And bicycle safety gear, that's high up on the list of concerns. After all they can't afford gas, so riding a bike to school is more affordable and tax free safety gear just makes sense.

Registration starts January 2, 2013 and apparently the registration process with be eTaxBC, which will include online registration, filing of returns and payments, as well as account maintenance.

I told him not to worry, I don't think teachers will have to register, but of course he's so sure that the politicians in BC have such a hate on for teachers that anything is possible. BCGEU get a 4% raise over two years and teachers get nada, zip, nothing. I'd like to know, do students who hated school become politicians just to get back at teachers?

Maybe they'll make teachers charge PST to the kids for free lunches, you know, all those power bars that I send with him to school to give away in his classroom.  I guess I better stock up and send more food with him for the kids, since he just told me the VSB took away the free lunches, or at least restricted them and let go a bunch of staff that used to provide free lunches in the DTES because an accounting firm told the VSB this was the way to save money. 

I'm sure hoping that accountants don't have to register for PST either... Sigh... guess I better start reading up.