Tuesday, February 13, 2007
My view on taxes (the brief version)
Over on NRT, there is a debate about the tax take. I added my two cents in the comments thread:
Labour has a choice. It can structure a tax cut that ensures the benefits are widespread ([specifically by] cutting the lowest rate).This is really a call for pragmatism on the part of Labour. I think the logic is solid. Che Tibby kinda agrees with me. I think the logic is equally strong for income-splitting, a debate we're yet to have here. The government has in fact accepted, with Working For Families, that the family, not the individual is the basic economic unit of society. It is time that logic was extended to all families, including couples without children, and those on middling and higher incomes. And yes, now that you mention it, I am not exactly an unbiased, impartial observer of all this!
Or it can lose office on the back of an unpopular budget that refuses to move on taxes, allowing National to structure a tax cut to its liking (and the liking of its pals).
Cullen has a choice: a tax cut which benefits all, including those on the lowest incomes, or: another miserly budget, followed by ejection from the Treasury benches, followed by his unemployment/forced retirement, followed by tax cuts under National.
If he won't deliver then Clark should dismiss him and appoint someone (Goff or Dunne) who will.
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