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TERRACE BAY NEWS PAGE 23 lard HELP OFFICE IN THUNDER BAY ~ and Corporate Affairs Minister et, in co-operation with the Ethnic ntre, has announced the extension of r Help Office in Thunder Bay. ion to the Consumer Help Office lo- thers-on-Budgets, 224 Cummings St., is now also available for consumers ic Referral Centre, 213 Algoma St. leen Miller, Consumer help officer -on-Budgets works out:.of the ethnic ntre on Wednesdays, from 9 to 4 p.m. an be reached at 345-0551. ic Referral Centre is a multi-cul- ce offering a wide variety of assis- ople of many nationalities. Since 'anadians of Finnish, Spanish, Por- lian, Greek, French and English ori- een helped with social, housing and oblems. onsumer services to an existing or- has been found to be an effective hing specific groups in the popula- might otherwise be unaware of the rvices available to them. The 1p Office complements Box 99, the s official consumer listening post as well as the regional and district ic Referral Centre is aware of the le many people who use the service 1 be able to provide Consumer ad- stance and information when needed. BAD SIGN A sign at the space center reads: OUT TO LAUNCH. SUBSIDIES FOR PURCHASE OF NEW CARS "The Government is very concerned about the unequal treatment of taxpayers that has arisen as a result of different sales promotion tech- niques being used by auto manufacturers in hy providing cash subsidies to encouarge new car sales," Arthur Meen, Ministry of Revenue, said. "As the matter stands presently, where the subsidy is payable to the dealer, the price of the car to the customer is reduced at the time of sale and no Ontario Retail Sales Tax is payable on the subsidy. However, where auto manufacturers have chosen, for their own reas- ons, to pay the subsidy directly to the cus- tomer, the manufacturer has created a distinc- tly separate transaction. The dealer, in this instance, must charge the full unsubsidized price to the customer and Ontario Retail Sales Tax must be collected based on this higher price", Mr. Meen Stated. "We are sympathetic to the customer who must pay the higher amount of tax in this sit- uation and, at my request, members of the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association repre- senting the four auto manufacturers met with my staff and me to discuss the matter. As a result, I am proposing changes which will remove certain unfairness in the applica- tion of Retail Sales Tax caused by these sales promotions." Each auto manufacturer has agreed to supply the Ministry of Revenue with names, addresses and the amount of the subsidy cheque sent to the auto purchaser under these various programs Immediately upon receipt of this information, veontinued page 26... ..cienie