Leftist economic ideas are based on the worst human emotions, the UK edition

[crazy canuck]

Everyone should pay the same percentage of taxes.

Would you take the same position if we were talking about income tax rates?

[Tamas]

Everyone should pay the same percentage of taxes.

Would you take the same position if we were talking about income tax rates?

Especially to income taxes. And if this way there isn't enough income, well, decrease spending.

[Warspite]

I'm not convinced the workarounds for the property tax are very good; they're still not addressing the ultimate problem with the tax in that it is complete divorced from the ability to pay. Sure, we have a suggestion for those on fixed incomes (the retired granny in the Chelsea flat scenario).

But what about people who bought a nice house in a nice part of town in good times, but have since had to take, or chosen to take a substantial drop in income? I'm not really in favour of kicking out the early-retired investment banker who's gone on to start a small publishing firm from his Notting Hill mews simply because he changed careers.

And some people just have highly variable incomes - my friends in the development community, for instance, don't earn a lot when they're based in London, but when they go abroad their gigs are very lucrative. So I'm not really sure it's just or equitable to forbid these kinds of people from having an expensive house simply because their income wouldn't be able to keep up with the kind of tax that property would attract.

The central government doesn't demand money like this - why should local government?

[crazy canuck]

Everyone should pay the same percentage of taxes.

Would you take the same position if we were talking about income tax rates?

Especially to income taxes. And if this way there isn't enough income, well, decrease spending.

Progressive taxation is more about fairness in income tax policy then it is about increasing revenues for government.

[Tamas]

Everyone should pay the same percentage of taxes.

Would you take the same position if we were talking about income tax rates?

Especially to income taxes. And if this way there isn't enough income, well, decrease spending.

Progressive taxation is more about fairness in income tax policy then it is about increasing revenues for government.

It is not fair. Call it necessary to maintain spending levels and you have an argument. But it is not fair

[Martinus]

I'm not convinced the workarounds for the property tax are very good; they're still not addressing the ultimate problem with the tax in that it is complete divorced from the ability to pay. Sure, we have a suggestion for those on fixed incomes (the retired granny in the Chelsea flat scenario).

But what about people who bought a nice house in a nice part of town in good times, but have since had to take, or chosen to take a substantial drop in income? I'm not really in favour of kicking out the early-retired investment banker who's gone on to start a small publishing firm from his Notting Hill mews simply because he changed careers.

And some people just have highly variable incomes - my friends in the development community, for instance, don't earn a lot when they're based in London, but when they go abroad their gigs are very lucrative. So I'm not really sure it's just or equitable to forbid these kinds of people from having an expensive house simply because their income wouldn't be able to keep up with the kind of tax that property would attract.

The central government doesn't demand money like this - why should local government?

Well, the first/only home reduction/exemption deals with that, provided that there is some home size cap (not based on value but usable area) so that people who live in huge mansions are not exploiting this.

[Martinus]

Everyone should pay the same percentage of taxes.

Would you take the same position if we were talking about income tax rates?

Especially to income taxes. And if this way there isn't enough income, well, decrease spending.

Progressive taxation is more about fairness in income tax policy then it is about increasing revenues for government.

It is not fair. Call it necessary to maintain spending levels and you have an argument. But it is not fair

Actually, the middle bracket usually pays the most - if it was just about meeting the spending, you could completely exempt the rich. But as others said, it is about fairness.

[The Brain]

Everyone should pay the same percentage of taxes.

Would you take the same position if we were talking about income tax rates?

Especially to income taxes. And if this way there isn't enough income, well, decrease spending.

Progressive taxation is more about fairness in income tax policy then it is about increasing revenues for government.

It is not fair. Call it necessary to maintain spending levels and you have an argument. But it is not fair

Actually, the middle bracket usually pays the most - if it was just about meeting the spending, you could completely exempt the rich. But as others said, it is about fairness.

That's horrible. Then lower taxes for the middle/lower brackets. Jesus.

[crazy canuck]

Everyone should pay the same percentage of taxes.

Would you take the same position if we were talking about income tax rates?

Especially to income taxes. And if this way there isn't enough income, well, decrease spending.

Progressive taxation is more about fairness in income tax policy then it is about increasing revenues for government.

It is not fair. Call it necessary to maintain spending levels and you have an argument. But it is not fair

Actually, the middle bracket usually pays the most - if it was just about meeting the spending, you could completely exempt the rich. But as others said, it is about fairness.

I am not sure where Tamas has gotten the idea a progressive tax system is not fair but that a regressive tax system that imposes the same burden on rich and poor is fair.

[The Brain]

The most fair is if everyone pays the same amount. Next most fair is if everyone pays the same proportion.

But I care less about what's fair than about what's good.

[Razgovory]

The issue is discrimination, basically. Everyone should pay the same percentage of taxes. That alone ensures that the rich contribute more. Success should be encouraged, not issued punitive taxes.

[Admiral Yi]

I am not sure where Tamas has gotten the idea a progressive tax system is not fair but that a regressive tax system that imposes the same burden on rich and poor is fair.

He's not advocating a regressive tax, he's advocating a flat tax.

[Sheilbh]

I am not sure where Tamas has gotten the idea a progressive tax system is not fair but that a regressive tax system that imposes the same burden on rich and poor is fair.

He's not advocating a regressive tax, he's advocating a flat tax.

A flat tax is regressive. It pays no attention to either overall tax burden or ability to pay.

I don't entirely oppose it, but I don't think it'd be workable universally.

[Ancient Demon]

I'd prefer a progressive tax, but one with few or no exemptions.

[Admiral Yi]

A flat tax is regressive. It pays no attention to either overall tax burden or ability to pay.

I don't entirely oppose it, but I don't think it'd be workable universally.

Are you thinking of a poll tax?  A flat tax just imposes the same % on everyone, regardless of income.  It's the very definition of non-regressive and non-progressive.