Editor: Re: 鈥淭ax cars, not income鈥� (B.C. Views, The Times, June 15).

Tom Fletcher can nitpick all he wants about the proper identification of the government鈥檚 July 2010 tax increase on private vehicle sales.

As an alternative, maybe his beloved government should have considered rescinding the dealer tax on used vehicles. Most people buy used cars and other used products because they can鈥檛 afford to buy new. In reality, this is just another tax that hits those who can least afford it.

After slogging through all the statistics, graphs, and pie-charts concerning the HST, one thing struck me: The province raises 14 per cent of its money from the HST, 14 per cent from personal income taxes, and only four per cent from corporate income taxes. The province spends 42 per cent of its revenues on health and 27 per cent on education.

Corporations benefit greatly from an educated and healthy workforce. It reduces their training costs, and unlike companies in the U.S. they don鈥檛 have to shell out huge amounts for health insurance. That in itself provides a big cost advantage for B.C. companies. So why aren鈥檛 these companies paying their fair share?

Over the years our government has increasingly catered to the values of Wall Street and Madison Avenue. You know 鈥� those buzzing little stick people on TV. Now, if only it could rediscover Main Street.

Mike Divine,

New Westminster