ECB and Inflation

[Admiral Yi]

Hasn't that been the case for, like, five years?

No.

[Iormlund]

How do you factor taxes into inflation Iormlund?

There's been a >30% increase in VAT rates in the last few years, plus excise taxes (especially gas which has an economy-wide feedback).

Healthcare costs have also gone up due to reduced medication coverage and so on.

[Iormlund]

I assumed he meant when you got rid of VAT, the scourge of Europe, prices would actually have dropped.

I would increase VAT further actually. Same with property tax (this one I'd make much higher). Trade that for a reduction in payroll tax.

I would also assume that the statistics would account for that, but he does live there.

Standard Spanish CPI doesn't.

[Neil]

Raise property tax?  That's just bizarre.

[The Brain]

Property tax? We need more land, not less.

[Iormlund]

Raise property tax?  That's just bizarre.

It's harder to move your luxury villa from Marbella to a tax haven than set up a tax dodging scheme for your income there.

[Ideologue]

It's easier to burn down a luxury villa than it is to increase property taxes.

[The Minsky Moment]

Wow.  Draghi stepped up after all.

[Sheilbh]

Not unanimous though. I imagine there'll be a clarifying speech from the Bundesbank soon

[Neil]

Raise property tax?  That's just bizarre.

It's harder to move your luxury villa from Marbella to a tax haven than set up a tax dodging scheme for your income there.

Still, don't you think that a confiscatory property tax scheme will have some negative effects on middle class homeowners?  I mean, I realize that it's pretty popular in Europe to hate that sort of person, but do they really deserve to take the hit that you're aiming at the rich?

[Iormlund]

Still, don't you think that a confiscatory property tax scheme will have some negative effects on middle class homeowners?  I mean, I realize that it's pretty popular in Europe to hate that sort of person, but do they really deserve to take the hit that you're aiming at the rich?

It is precisely the middle class that now pays disproportionately, because their salaries are so easy to tap into. There's almost 40% payroll tax on top of income tax.

I just propose shifting some of that burden to the one thing the rich and megacorporations like Apple can't hide behind tax code loopholes.

[Tonitrus]

Property taxes on typical homeowners is evil.  If the land itself is not producing income, it is just a scheme to eventually try to force those owners off that land.

[Ideologue]

Property taxes on typical homeowners is evil.  If the land itself is not producing income, it is just a scheme to eventually try to force those owners off that land.

Also motor vehicles.  I once had to beg some money off my parents to pay my property taxes on a car.

[Tonitrus]

That must be a South Carolina thing.

[Ed Anger]

Get rid of capital gains taxes!