Limosine liberal, Jonas Gahr Store.
Posted on 07/06/2017 10:01:04 AM PDT by simpson96
Eager to pay more taxes? Then look no further than Norway.
Hammered by the opposition for slashing taxes and going on a spending spree with the country’s oil money, the center-right government has hit back with a bold proposal: voluntary contributions.
Launched in June, the initiative has received a lukewarm reception, with the equivalent of just $1,325 in extra revenue being collected so far, according to the Finance Ministry. That’s not much for a country of 5.3 million people, many of whom are already accustomed to paying some of the highest taxes in the world (the top rate of income tax is 46.7 percent).
“The tax scheme was set up to allow those who want to pay more taxes to do so in a simple and straightforward way,” Finance Minister Siv Jensen said in an emailed comment. “If anyone thinks the tax level is too low, they now have the chance to pay more.”
Soon after assuming office, in late 2013, the Norwegian government was faced with one of the worst economic shocks in a generation as the price of crude plunged. The government responded by aggressively cutting taxes and tapping into the country’s massive wealth fund for the first time.
Left-of-center opposition parties claimed the tax cuts would benefit the richest and boost inequality. Jonas Gahr Store, the wealthy Labor Party contender who is leading in the polls ahead of the September 11 elections, has so far refused to take up the government’s offer.
(Excerpt) Read more at bloomberg.com ...
Limosine liberal, Jonas Gahr Store.
You can ABSOLUTELY donate as much as you want to the USA.
When a leftist says he/she wants to help the poor and the environment, that should be the first question: “how much extra did you pay in taxes?”
If the answer is zero then you know how much they really care.
Same result as in Massachusetts.
Howie Carr makes fun of it.
Huckabee got more than that with his voluntary tax plan in Arkansas.
The funny thing is, that $1325 was probably spent well before it was ever received...along with an additional $2.7 million...in expectation of receiving that much.
I wish these politicians had to spend as if they were on a typical family’s budget.
Did you read the article?
So much for the commonly-heard “argument” that most people pay taxes voluntarily. That’s a vile lie.
One reason people don’t pay taxes voluntarily (other than the guns pointed at them) is simply that those who actually earn money neither need nor want most of the “services” the government provides. Not at any price.
Another reason is because a monopoly provider of justice and security will inevitably provide poor service, and will inevitably greatly overcharge for the services it provides that those who earn an income would actually be willing to pay for.
I had this argument all the time with the Nords while I was there. They loved going on and on about the environment and Global warming, but when I asked how much they gave out of their own pockets all I got was dumb looks. I would explain that I gave money to my Church, because “I Believed in God” and that if they believed in Global Warming they would give money to that. That was always the end of the argument.
It has long been part of the US Tax Code that taxpayers can make voluntary contributions to the treasury. I wonder what the total was last year? Was it even as much as this?
Terrific. Enjoyed hearing that.
Yes, I did.
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