Make taxation more structured

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I would like to know if it wouldn’t be better to remind people that if they want good services from the Government, then they need to forgo some of their discretionary spending and be willing to pay higher taxes.

The JLP won the 2016 election with their promise of giving a tax break on $1.5m per annum earnings, but new taxes were levied especially on gasolene.

TAX BREAK

The $1.5m tax break may not have helped anyone earning less than $49,000 per month ($592,000 per year). In fact, it may have helped to pay for the tax break for those with greater incomes by the extra gasolene tax, etc.

Those earning more than $49,000 per month may not have needed the tax break, nor did it make sense when the same people are calling for better health and education facilities.

After all, many workers (and their families) have to live on minimum wage of $28,000 per month, and less when the work is intermittent.

Just when we need a more equitable tax regime, where those on higher incomes pay a greater percentage, we have tax breaks that benefit those earning higher income as much as those on much lower incomes. It may be better to have a more structured income tax regime, higher import duties on luxury goods, and also a wealth tax (with an exempt threshold of, say, $20m to allow for house ownership).

PAUL WARD

Campaign for Social & Economic Justice