quote:

Originally posted by Ania_xox Anyhow... our new president: Donald Tusk - Platform of the Citizens "Jeszcze Polska nie zginela" I love my country

Next Prime Minister, not President. One of the brothers will still be president for a while.

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Nathan Fake - Outhouse (Valentino Kanzyani Remix) || ID PLZ! PVD ID!!!
Disco and classical had sex while watching a sci-fi movie. Their child: trance.

a very short while
the PO party already has a strong hold over the people

bye bye Kaczynski

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quote:

Originally posted by Slylee oh well, different strokes different vaginas

Some dance to remember ~ Some dance to forget

quote:

Originally posted by MarkT I just don't think that there is significant enough waste to say that it's better to give a pittance back to each person vs. keeping it and spending it on programs, reducing the debt or giving it to provinces/cities.

Sure, it looks like a pittance when taken in isolation, but if, hypothetically speaking, the government were to abolish all income tax, it would be much more than that.

Normally, when a government claims to have tax reduction as its mandate, you assume that they intend to keep doing it. If they promised to cut income tax by 1% per year, and kept that promise, it wouldn't seem like much during the first year ($500 on a $50K salary) but after 4 years it really starts to add up ($2000 in the final year, and $5000 over the entire 4 years).

I've already said that I'd prefer an income tax cut, but GST is more than you think. If you paid $3000 in GST charges (I'd say that's a pretty conservative estimate, no?), a reduction from 6% to 5% would save you $500 next year. Reduced 1% annually over 4 years, that's the same $5000 total as above. I don't know about you, but I'd say that's more than a pittance for most of us. That could easily cover, say, non-emergency private medical care over those 4 years. Or a couple of months of daycare or grocery bills, etc.

I'd be happiest with an income tax cut; I'm okay with a GST cut, and I'd be okay with debt repayments as long as there's a commitment to reduce taxes the following year, or commit the interest reduction to further debt repayments until there's enough for a significant tax reduction. I'm sure you'll get a kick out of this, but I'd be perfectly fine with military spending as well.

Spending it on "programs", though - no, that's not better. Social programs I'm not even going to touch, and other federal programs like health care can be managed much better by the private sector.

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My party schedule:
2009-02-21 - DJ Attention @ I'm So Popular
2009-06-18 - DJ Annoying @ People Need To Know Where I'll Be
2012-11-32 - DJ Insufferable ɸ Or At Least the Stalkers I Complain About
2048-06-66 - Spastic & Whocares ¶ Although I'm Actually Flattered
9999-45-81 - Tweaker Gimp ☼ I Probably Won't Even Go To This But I Have To Make Sure I Fill Up All The Available Space Here

quote:

Originally posted by Ania_xox Anyhow... our new president: Donald Tusk - Platform of the Citizens "Jeszcze Polska nie zginela"

I don't follow them, but here's what Wikipedia has to say:

quote:

Civic Platform is a Christian-democratic and liberal conservative party, combing liberal stances on the economy with conservative stances on social and ethical issues, including opposition to abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia and stem cell research. Core proposals in the party program include: * flat tax (15% for personal income tax (PIT), corporate income tax (CIT) and VAT); * privatization of the remaining public sectors of Polish economy; * privatization of health care; * decentralization through allocating a larger portion of the budget for local governments; * direct elections of mayors and regional governors; * higher education reform with equal rights for private and public universities; * expanding the teaching of economics in secondary schools; * halving the number of MPs in the Sejm from 460 to 230 and depriving them of parliamentary immunity from prosecution; * first-past-the-post electoral system instead of proportional representation; * labor law reform to reduce the power of trade unions; * independence over monetary policy by the National Bank of Poland.

Congratulations, although I'm frankly amazed that they'd vote for this party after all the previous ex-commies.

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My party schedule:
2009-02-21 - DJ Attention @ I'm So Popular
2009-06-18 - DJ Annoying @ People Need To Know Where I'll Be
2012-11-32 - DJ Insufferable ɸ Or At Least the Stalkers I Complain About
2048-06-66 - Spastic & Whocares ¶ Although I'm Actually Flattered
9999-45-81 - Tweaker Gimp ☼ I Probably Won't Even Go To This But I Have To Make Sure I Fill Up All The Available Space Here

MarkT: I may have not well explained it, or I may be missing something. The condo fee per say isn't taxable. But the condo fee is made up of services which are... be it the hydro, insurances, repairs, etc.

Moreover, yes thats a tiny 1%, but thats 1% on top of the one we got earlier. For me its a difference between paying 15% to 13%, thats in reality a 15% reduction!

Like I said earlier, I would prefer, in order, the govt to either pass these extra revenues to provinces for infrastructures enhancement, a reduction in income taxes and other fees (airport fees are an example) or finally a reduction of the GST.

If I can't have the first 2, I will gladly take those 2% of GST reduction.

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