‘Another whammy for OAPs’ fear as tax hikes considered
Saturday 7th March 2009, 9:29AM GMT.
FEARS have been raised that old-age pensioners and the lower paid will suffer as a result of the latest tax rise plans.
Treasury and Resources revealed yesterday it needed to plug a £52m.-a-year gap in States finances as the financial downturn has caused the ‘black hole’ to grow to £65m.
It is now considering a range of options including increasing existing taxes and introducing a goods and services tax.
OAP association chairman John Guilbert (pictured) was surprised when he heard the latest position.
‘I think it’s another whammy for OAPs. Everything is going up so fast but we’ve yet to hear of anything for those on low pay, fixed incomes or OAPs,’ said Mr Guilbert.
He said measures to help the poor should be brought in at the same time as any tax hikes.
‘If the States decides to raise taxes there’s nothing we can do as individuals, but it really at the moment only seems to think about putting up costs, not looking at ways of saving money.’
It was a leaderless ship because the chief minister had no power, he added.
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Won’t someone please think of the students!!!!!!
Nah, fear not Mr Guilbert, it doesn’t take a student to figure out that robbing the poor to pay the rich isn’t a sustainable economic strategy. I’m looking forward to next weeks solution – sending the Treasury Minister over to the UK to buy some lottery tickets. It could be us!!!!
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I think that GST would finish the island off we are almost unique in that we don’t have any sales tax and this is the reason mail order company’s are here and bring in 60 million a year for the island surly the states cant be so stupid as to ruin this island last big asset
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Student Bob
I’m sure a lot of people do think of the students.
Personally when I see someone in his mid to late twenties who is still at ‘school’ I see someone who is milking the system for all he’s worth.
Please tell me you’re not into your fifth year of Media Studies. If you are, get off your butt and get a job !
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What’s age got to do with it?! Don’t the more ‘mature’ have as much a right as anyone else?
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Ray, I bet you wont think that of a Doctor who saves your or a member of your family’s life with the 5 years spent at school.
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Dont bring in a VAT it hits the poorest hardest abolish those huge Govt type pensions that would probably do it. Obviously that wont happen as the decision makers are/will be in receipt of same.
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Mr Smith
Sorry but that particular mail order sector is quite likely to disappear at any minute. It may bring in £60m of profit to Guernsey but how much tax does it actually generate ? A GST of 10% would directly bring in £100m to the government coffers each year. No comparison I’m afraid.
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Add another tax level, 40% on all earnings above £35/40k’ish.
Bringing in all other stealth taxes hits the lowest paid.
Whilst Guernsey wants the facilities and systems as guided by many an expert UK consultant, we need to increase the tax tax from the more wealthy, thereby restricting house prices and allowing the lower income groups to get on the housing ladder.
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