A petition designed to sink the Harmonized Sales Tax is ready for deployment after being green lit by Elections BC.

Former Premier Bill Vander Zalm filed for the citizen's Initiative petition and plans to start collecting signatures on April 6 through his Fight HST group. The group needs 10 per cent of registered voters in all 85 electoral districts to sign on within 90 days to force the government to nullify legislation and go back to the drawing board.

"We need about 300,000 votes," said Fight HST spokesperson and 24 hours columnist Bill Tieleman. "It's definitely a challenge but people are furious about this. A lot of people are just starting to realize how much the extra seven per cent [tax] is going to affect them."

Vander Zalm was out of town for the news, but issued a statement urging people to back the petition.

"The citizen's Initiative petition is our first move and it is the people's opportunity to tell the governments that we are still a democracy," he wrote. "The Initiative is also the people’s opportunity to kill the HST."

The amalgamated provincial tax kicks in July 1, 2010. More information on the campaign and petition can be found at www.fighthst.com.

Matt Kieltyka reports for 24 Hours Vancouver.