Welcome adjustment but taxes still too high
How you sell something is important. Nicola Willis, as the present Minister of Finance, has talked tax cuts for all and sundry coming into force on July 31, 2024.
To just say that the thresholds of tax would be restored to previous levels does not have the same effect that talking tax cuts does.
The rates of tax have not changed, only the levels of income where the rates kick in
We have a situation, now that the government has restored the thresholds, that they are maintained and any creep upwards of income earned would still put people into higher tax brackets.
We still have relatively high inflation and according to statistics the average hourly rate of pay increased about 7% in the 2023 year.
It is hard to see that the government would have this wage movement factored in when setting the revised limits.
Regardless of the thresholds, as they now are, a review of them should be on an annual basis as some inflation will always be with us as wage increases will be.
I still believe that the rates we are taxed at are too high, when you factor in the expensive GST we have to pay on just about everything.
As Aristotle said
The widespread confusion (real or feigned) between "equality" and "equal" has caused more than enough social damage. (Jerry Lynch, Letters ODT 6.8.24).
One man can run a four-minute mile, another is confined to a wheelchair. Hence, when it comes to running, the two are not equal and the same holds true with all other human capacities.
A moment's honest thought will confirm that nothing in the world is more unequal than people. The only sense in which "equality" exists, (or should exist) is in the eyes of (good) law and in the proverbial "sight of God".
False equality does not mean that everyone is a winner: it means that nobody can be a winner. We see this clearly in transgender sports when biological men are pitted against women who are usually not the physical equal of men. In such cases the female can't win and nor, in reality, can the male imposter.
"The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal." Aristotle.
Good journalism
May I inform your correspondent Denise Cameron (Letters ODT 7.8.24) that the ODT’s report saying that Trump "falsely suggested" is not opinion on the part of ODT. Trump got it wrong and the ODT [via Reuters] informed readers accordingly. That’s the proper function of good journalism.
Apologies to Invercargill
In regards to Nobby Clark's apology in today's ODT (2.8.24), that must be the most unapologetic apology I have ever come across. My apologies to the people of Invercargill, you deserve better.
Rates rises insulting, utterly unnecessary
It is most encouraging to see the Otago Regional Council has returned a $2 million surplus for the last financial year. Equally encouraging is the reporting of $13.6m in the bank and $27m in a long-term managed fund.
When we get the results of their latest property valuations and 100% shareholding in Port Otago, we will all know what a healthy financial position our regional council is in.
Therefore any future rates rises above the rate of inflation are utterly unnecessary and an insult to those of us who have to pay them.
Harm ignored
A recently released report from the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research estimates that the cost of harm from alcohol to New Zealand society has been $9.1 billion since 2009.
Government after government, year on year, have ignored the calls for change by harm reduction groups to:
* raise the drinking age;
*increase costs through taxes;
*reduce drinking hours;
*stop advertising
*remove alcohol from supermarket shelves.
Why do we vote for these useless politicians who every three years get lobbied by the alcohol industry like children with sweets?
They are supposed to be working for the voting public, not the alcohol industry.
The industry pedal their poison and pay nothing for the harm and misery that this product causes.
Alcohol is a serious drug and a scourge to society.
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
