Stephen Harper announced a politically calculated plan to give tax breaks to families with children in arts programs today in an attempt to distract from his antagonistic relationship with culture and artists.
He made unsuspecting children play instruments as part of the media surrounding the announcement. Unfortunately, tax experts had bigger problems with the program than Billy, age 12, who was just learning to play the viola and wants to know why the creepy man keeps smiling at him and why he brought so many cameras:
Tax experts said a $500 tax credit on arts activity fees would likely translate into a maximum $75 for families.
“When we talk about credits and the actual impact of … credits in the tax system, we’re not talking about [getting] $500 in your pocket,” said Cleo Hamel, a senior tax analyst with H&R Block. “Because it’s a credit, it’s only going to be a percentage that they make available to you based on a maximum $500 to start with, and it’s usually based on the lowest tax rate.”
With the lowest tax rate set at 15 per cent, what looks like a $500 bouquet becomes a $75 arrangement. That cash comes off of the tax bill people owe the government.”
You can read the whole article by Jane Taber in The Globe and Mail here.
