Sin taxes could kill the fun
Before the year is over, Ryerson students could find themselves paying “sin taxes” for everything that makes their lives worth living - movies, concerts and even alcohol.
A five per cent municipal tax has been proposed for alcohol, tobacco, movies and live entertainment. City council is considering the new taxes to help balance its budget.
Although the rate has not been finalized, it could provide Toronto with $340 million.
As well, a $100 fee per space is expected for parking lot owners.
Mayor David MIller said he wants to cash in as soon as possible.
Some are not pleased to hear that they could be paying even more in what is already an expensive city to live in.
Rob Wilson, a business management professor at Ryerson, said that adding new taxes may seem like a good idea now, but could prove detrimental in the future.
“[The taxes are] a short-term solution to a long-term problem,” he said. “The City of Toronto has budget deficits, mostly created by themselves.
“By putting taxes on things like alcohol, in the short term ir may look like they’re going to have increased revenues, but in the long term it detracts from the success of the city.”
Chris Drew, RSU vice-president finance and services, said fee increases cause unneccessary burdens for students.
“Students in particular are in a unique situation because they can’t work as often as people who are not in school, so their money is already tight,” he said.
Sean-Paul Kearns, a third-year information technology management student at Ryerson, said he understands why the government has to make all the new taxes, but that he is not happy about it.
“It’s like he’s imposing ‘fun tax’ on everything,” Kearns said of Miller. “University students have it hard enough paying our tuition and rent, and now we’re getting taxed on the things that help us to relax and unwind.
“Taxes are a necessity in any working stable economy, but taxing to the point where people will buy less is a horrible thing to do.”
Wilson agreed. “The question is not so much people not wanting to pay taxes. It’s the level of taxes that bothers us and how are dollars are spent.”
Kearns, however, has his own solution to the alcohol taxes.
“We better start making homemade beer in our bathtubs, because as university students, alcohol is a necessity, not an option,” he said.