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When it comes to reforming Nova Scotia's tax system, it appears the governing Liberals are preparing to do what the woman they hired to come up with a plan told them not to do.

Before she handed over her tax review to Diana Whalen last week, Laurel Broten made a simple plea to the minister of finance and the McNeil government.

"The report asks government and in turn Nova Scotians to avoid the temptation of cherry-picking among the proposed tax reforms, and ignoring or rejecting the less palatable," she said last Wednesday.

She told a roomful of reporters on hand for the release of her $150,000 report that the numbers simply won't add up and Nova Scotia will not get to where it needs to be."

Some of the unpalatable recommendations including putting the HST back on books, diapers, kids clothing and heat, while at the same time offering the province's wealthiest citizens a tax break.

These realities seem to be making it hard for the premier to fully embrace Broten's work.

"There's obviously some [recommendations] that raise some reservations for us," said Premier Stephen McNeil in his first critique of the report.

He wouldn't say which of the recommendations are problematic for his government.

Neither did Whalen, but she did say the government will look at the recommendations and decide which ones and at what pace they will be implemented.

Whalen plans to meet with Nova Scotians to get their views on the tax reform report.

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Liberals plan to cherry-pick advice from tax report