Union to Mobilise Against Tax Proposals

Details

Economy

Wednesday, 11 January 2012 02:30

By Everton Barnes

Antigua St John's - A cross section of civil society plans to register its displeasure with the government's intention to tax allowances and other employee benefits.

President of the Antigua Trades and Labour Union (ATLU) Wigley George said his union has already met with the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to discuss a joint response to the issue.

George said, "Our union has met to discuss the government's white paper on the matter, and we are against further taxation on the struggling poor and middle class in this country."

He noted that the government's spokesman on the issue, Revenue Reform Manager Everette Christian, said the measures are designed to close several loopholes through which senior managers have been able to avoid paying their full share of taxes. But George said the methodology being employed by the government casts too wide a net.

"By implementing the measure, government is bringing everybody, from the lowest to the middle class, into this new tax net. This is unfair. He should go after those violators already identified by the government," he said.

The AT&LU boss said his union is mobilizing its membership, and a meeting is slated for next Tuesday at its headquarters at 46 North Street when the government's proposals will be discussed in full.

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12 Comments In This Article   

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@ TENMAN

Avid Reader » 2012-01-11 22:49

A benefit and a mortgage deduction are two different animals, a benefit is something that your company offers to you that will become part of your gross income. A benefit is something that you are not reimbursed for, if you pay for an item and your company reimburses you for then it cannot become a part of your income.

As you quote the US tax system, please note that there are questions asked, were you reimburesed for this item that you are deducting?, if you were then it cannot be deducted on your tax return.

What you are doing, is quoting line items on a tax return that will reduce your gross income so that you can arrive at a lower tax base, but remember that this gross income would have already included benefits.

the word is benefits and they are taxable, since you the employee get value from them. The exception n the US is military on housing allowance etc. if you are stationed overseas.

Benefits are anything from your vacation, sick time and anything that your are given as an employee that you did not work for.

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Avid Reader

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Avid Reader

tenman » 2012-01-11 21:45

Avid Reader, I respectfully disagree with you. its always interesting when persons try to compare a place which depends mostly on indirect taxes (Antigua) to one which does not. By the way, all places in the world do not have income tax which makes your statement untrue "No matter where you go in this world benefits are taxable." Would you share with us how Americans are able to fully write off interest expense for mortgages yet in Antigua the most you can claim back is 25% for a max yearly of 2K EC? Can you also share with us how much in things like donations eg. tithes Americans can claim back as tax credits? What about tax credits for amounts used for tuition expenses? What about child care tax credits which exists in the UK? Where allowances are concerned, things like transportation allowance, meal allowance, entertainment allowance, are deductible in the US when its tied to a business expense (yes there are some caps). Here is a list of allowances in India and in general they do what Dessalines and others have pointed out (in general provide a cap) see freeworking.hubpages.com/hub/TAXABLE-OR-NON-TAXABLE-SALARY-ALLOWANCES
..

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tenman

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Taxing benefits is the way of the world

Avid Reader » 2012-01-11 16:33

No matter where you go in this world benefits are taxable. Whatever you get from your company in a sensible world is considered income, therefore subject to income tax.

If you get housing allowance
travel allowance
baby sitting
sick pay paid by third party
at the end of the year all this gets added to your gross wages.

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Avid Reader

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RE: Union to Mobilise Against Tax Proposals

GoodJobBob » 2012-01-11 15:20

Hey, somebody has to pay for all the expropreated land and legal bills!

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GoodJobBob

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RE: Union to Mobilise Against Tax Proposals

Dessalines » 2012-01-11 10:49

A union leader I think is Stafford Joseph offered a solution to the problem of professionals reducing their salaries and increasing their allowances to evade paying PIT. Identify and target them directly and have them pay their fair share of taxes. No reason for the general populace to suffer for the few.

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Dessalines

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They have no choice

The Wadadli Blogger » 2012-01-11 10:12

They have no choice ... if they want IMF money they better do what IMF say.

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The Wadadli Blogger

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Will Minister Pay???

Judge Dredd » 2012-01-11 09:39

Government Ministers get LOTS of benefits. Free electricity. Free travelling. Free Per Diem whe they travel.
ALL of these are benefits. Can the Minister of Finance tell us CLEARLY if these benefits for Ministers will be exempt??

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Judge Dredd

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RE: Union to Mobilise Against Tax Proposals

backburner » 2012-01-11 09:35

Everette Christian said at a recent meeting that included bankers and lawyers in a violent tone of voice that if he had his way with this country he would turn this country upside down

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backburner

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NO TAXES!

JP Farnsworth » 2012-01-11 08:59

Okay there I said it, NO TAXES. Now is not the time to tax. Even the Americans realized now was not the time to burden the people with new taxes. Take the money out of the stream and people will cut back, people cut back business dies and you get less taxes. We become unemployed and you get no taxes. Go ahead tax me I go broke you get nadda!
Cut spending. Fill out an expense reports. Stop traveling. The whole government should go on a diet.

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JP Farnsworth

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Tax Dem

Wow » 2012-01-11 08:57

There was a song sung by Eddie Mellow which was modified by UPP supporters when they were in opposition which referenced "Taxes". We need a remake of this song because the the UPP going "Tax us till we dead". Those wicked vipers.

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Wow

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RE: Union to Mobilise Against Tax Proposals

Cool Ruler » 2012-01-11 07:13

I for once agree with George, regardless of the view that some top managers this is certainly not the time to be introducing taxes on anyone period! A time when the economy is not in the best of health.

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Cool Ruler

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New Tax Proposals? HELL NO!!!

Garrot Soldier » 2012-01-11 06:32

It's about time someone or body of persons take the 'bull (government) by the horns'! What is going to come down on us will be tantamount to a ton of bricks. Don't you know what will be happening? Our already limited spending power will be further curtailed! How can people we elected to take care of OUR business, treat us like this? This is murder I say!! We the citizenry have to amalgamate and say: "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!"

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Garrot Soldier

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