Smart Tax Alliance pulls an ‘oops’

By MEL ROTHENBURGER/ The Armchair Mayor

Recruiting support is a big job in any political campaign. The HST referendum is no exception.

Traditional media advertising, social media, lawn signs, press releases, websites, phone banks and mail-outs are all part of the arsenals of those fighting on either side.

Such methods aren’t always used in the most sophisticated of ways, which can sometimes bring an “oops” embarrassment into the picture.

The pro-HST Smart Tax Alliance boasts 45 business-association members and has been campaigning hard both as an organization and via its members, such as the B.C. Chamber of Commerce.

Sometimes, things go wrong.

Like the thank-you letter it sent out to Stan Murray of Ashcroft.

“Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions about the harmonized sales tax on the phone recently,” said the letter, signed by Smart Tax Alliance co-chair Peter Leitch.

“I understand your concerns about how the HST applies to more goods and services than the old PST-GST. I just wanted to let you know about the recent rate change dropping the HST to 10 per cent.”

It goes on to say families will have more money in their pockets than under the old system, and that the economy is going to benefit. That’s why Leitch will vote for the HST, he said.

“I hope you will consider the same.”

Stan Murray passed away Nov. 30, 2005.

His widow, Glenys, was more than a little surprised to learn he had been talking to someone about the HST.

The letter doesn’t sit well with her. “It was an unpleasant shock, really,” she told me.

She says she had received a call from someone at the Smart Tax Alliance asking if she would answer a few questions.

“I said very nicely that I felt my vote was private and personal. They called back again; my answer was the same.”

Then came the letter. “This letter was very upsetting to me. I felt like I was being harassed and bullied. It is very clear that this government does not listen.”

After I exchanged a couple of calls and emails with Spire Public Relations, an outfit working for the Alliance, they concluded it was a case of mistaken identify. Working from the phone book, they’d called the number listed under Stan Murray, which Glenys has kept for security reasons.

Despite the fact Glenys’ voice sounds nothing like a man, the caller concluded it must be Stan on the phone, and put him down as someone in need of further persuasion.

The group has a number of form letters it sends out to those it calls. Unfortunately, whoever called not only was careless in identifying who answered the phone, but put a letter in the mail saying that person had answered some questions.

“It’s a mistake, and it’s unfortunate,” a spokesperson for the Alliance admitted.

Stan’s name and address have now been removed from the Smart Tax Alliance contact list.

So, while Glenys Murray prefers to keep her opinions on such matters to herself, she did offer a hint as to the effect of the Smart Tax Alliance’s attempt to win her over to the pro-HST side.

“You might guess how I voted,” she said, adding that she filled out her official form and sent it in rather quickly after her experience with the letter.