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Sometimes, it's hard not to notice the Machiavellian machinations of the B.C. premier's office.

This week, provincial newscasts, radio shows, and newspapers have been full of coverage about an asset tax on expensive homes.

It's disingenuously called a school tax, but the money goes into general revenue.

The so-called "additional school tax on high-valued properties" imposes a 0.2 percent levy on residential portions assessed between $3 and $4 million, starting in 2019.

That adds up to $2,000 in extra property tax per year.

For the residential portion above $4 million, there will be a 0.4 percent tax rate applied. That adds an additional $4,000 in property tax per $1 million in assessed value.

Anyone who owns an $8-million home, for example, would end up paying an extra $18,000 in property taxes to the province.

The left-leaning Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has applauded this for making provincial property tax "progressive".

But for homeowners who must pay thousands more in property taxes, it's being viewed as a heartless cash grab—nothing more than a tax on savings. They're irked because the tax is on unrealized gains that could vanish if the housing market goes into a tailspin.

People who save for the future by contributing to an RRSP or stuffing money into a bank account don't pay this tax. But those who saved for the future by buying a home many years ago that's shot up in value will pay the tax.

They don't think this is fair.

B.C. Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson (above) has made Attorney General David Eby the scapegoat for a housing surtax.

B.C. Liberals put in difficult position

Here's where the politics come in.

The largest number of homes valued at over $3 million are likely in the constituencies of Vancouver-Quilchena, Vancouver–Point Grey, Vancouver-Fairview, West Vancouver–Capilano, West Vancouver–Sea to Sky, Vancouver–False Creek, Vancouver-Langara, and Oak Bay–Gordon Head (along Beach Drive).

There are also some $3-million homes in Richmond.

All of those constituencies with three exceptions are held by B.C. Liberal MLAs.

Their leader, Andrew Wilkinson, has come to the defence of these homeowners. This is rather predictable, given that his home base of Vancouver-Quilchena has a fair number of low-income seniors living in expensive houses.

But many people living in less-expensive homes and tenants are quite happy seeing an asset tax imposed on those with $3-million properties.

Low-income British Columbians feel these homeowners won the lottery, so why not tax them some more?

The situation could get worse for the B.C. Liberal leader if (or when) the NDP starts highlighting the value of his five-bedroom home and his own vested interest in opposing the housing tax.

So you can see how Premier John Horgan's office has set a trap for Wilkinson.

That will help Horgan when he's campaigning in the next election in other more blue-collar B.C. Liberal bastions—like Williams Lake, Quesnel, Prince George, and Kamloops—that have very few $3-million homes.

Antitax protesters made their presence felt this week in David Eby's constituency of Vancouver–Point Grey. Charlie Smith

As Wilkinson speaks up for the owners of $3-million homes, expect the NDP to portray him as a friend of the rich.

This is bad news for Interior B.C. Liberal MLAs like Coralee Oakes, Donna Barnett, Shirley Bond, and Peter Milobar, especially if the NDP campaign lampoons Wilkinson as a stooge of the one percenters. It's the NDP version of "divide and conquer".

The tax also creates problems for B.C. Green Leader Andrew Weaver. If he rushes to the defence of the Beach Drive homeowners, including publishing magnate David Black, he too will be painted by the NDP as an elitist, like Wilkinson.

That can be political poison in the B.C. Interior.

But here's where the really Machiavellian aspect of the tax comes in.

It also puts two of the greenest NDP MLAs in caucus in the cross hairs of their constituents: Environment and Climate Change Strategy Minister George Heyman (Vancouver-Fairview) and Attorney General David Eby (Vancouver–Point Grey).

Wilkinson has focused on Eby's reluctance to meet with constituents to hear their concerns about the tax.

And yesterday, hundreds showed up in Trimble Park in Eby's constituency to protest the impact of this new tax on their lives.

Over social media, the response has been extremely harsh from those who support the NDP's tax.

It's not out of the question that Horgan and his backroom advisers might even be prepared to sacrifice the Vancouver seats of Eby and Heyman to the B.C. Liberals in return for more seats in the B.C. Interior.

That's a very real possibility if the NDP uses this as a wedge issue to drive home a perception of Wilkinson as "West Side Andrew" to elect more MLAs in the 250 area code.

Attorney General David Eby is facing a backlash from owners of expensive homes in his constituency.

The upside for Horgan is that he could be rid of Eby, who's a potential future NDP leader.

Heyman has a reputation as the most vocal environmentalist in cabinet. That's not necessarily a good thing for a party aiming to win seats in resource towns and cities east of Hope.

Of course, Heyman could see the writing on the wall and decide to retire rather than seek reelection.

And Eby might think about other options, like running for Parliament or biding his time before launching a mayoral bid in 2022.

Either way, Horgan could come out as the political winner and secure his position as premier for a few more years.