Dwight Ball says he will repeal HST increase, borrow more

Liberal Leader Dwight Ball disagrees with the Torygovernment's decision to increase the harmonized sales tax, and says he would repeal the increase if his party forms government following thisfall's provincial general election.

Finance Minister RossWisemanannouncedduring Thursday's budget that the HST would increase by two full points, from 13 to 15 per cent.

• Budget 2015: $1.1B deficit, tax hikes, job cuts

It'spart of a broader effort by the provincial government to deal with a massive decline in revenue caused by a drop in oil prices.

But speaking with reporters outside the House of Assembly,Ball called the HST decision a "job killer" and said the Liberals would roll back the increase.

"If you had to reduce [the] HST by two per cent or borrow, for me right now I wouldnot want to put at risk slowing the economy in this province," Ball said.

"Every single economic indicator is going in the wrong direction. So, if I had to make a choice over borrowing that extra money or increasing the HST, I would borrow more," he said.