~ Cut Carnival subsidy to give to Pony League ~
PHILIPSBURG--Motions to remove the inheritance (succession) tax of one million guilders from the draft 2012 budget and to put the land tax collection on hold until new legislation is tabled within sixty days to eliminate it were tabled by Democratic Party (DP) Members of Parliament (MPs) and independent MP Patrick Illidge with support of fellow coalition MPs of the United People's (UP) party close to midnight on Wednesday.
The increase of the subsidy for the Pony League from NAf. 6,480 to NAf. 51,480 through reallocation of NAf. 45,000 from the subsidy of St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation was the basis of another coalition-supported motion. The subsidy for the annual Carnival celebration would then become NAf. 455,000.
The inheritance tax and Pony League motions seek to bring "budget neutral" changes to the budget. A budget amendment was tabled along with the motions. The one on the Pony League states that it is an effort to support and invest in youngsters and to keep them positively occupied.
Independent MP Frans Richardson has signalled his intention to support the reallocation to benefit the Pony League if a portion is also redirected to it from the subsidy for the annual St. Maarten Heineken Regatta.
Parliament will resume its debate on the draft budget today, Thursday, at 2:00pm. It is expected that the budget and the 10 motions presented last night will be put to MPs for a vote. Several other motions and law amendments also will be tabled today.
Presenting the motion on the inheritance tax, MP Leroy de Weever (DP) said the tax only affected local St. Maarteners, many of whom were "land rich" but "cash poor." He also argued that zero inheritance tax was "essential" for any country seeking to become an offshore financial centre. "It's fundamentally a faux pas. ... It is double taxation. ... Inheritance should not be a burden."
The motion calls for the reallocation of NAf. 83,333 from each of the seven ministries, the three "high councils," and the Social Economic Council SER and NAf. 83,337 from Parliament to cover the NAf. 1 million deficit the deference/suspension of the collection of this tax would create in the budget.
The motion on the land tax, presented by Illidge, does not have any consequence for the budget figures and was not estimated as a possible revenue source for government. Illidge said the suspension of the collection and the eventual elimination of the tax would benefit local families who owned a lot of land, but did not have the cash to pay the tax.
MP Roy Marlin (DP) also presented a motion on cutting energy usage by allowing only energy-efficient appliances to be imported into the island, among other stipulations. This motion was tagged to draft legislation.
UP MPs Romain Laville and Johan "Janchi" Leonard also formally tabled the motions they had announced on Tuesday during the first round of debate. Laville submitted his draft legislation on regulating pawnshops and a motion urging government to explore and implement alternative energy methods as a cost-saving effort.
Leonard's motion calls for the banning of disposable plastic bags via legislation. This is similar to one of the three motions also formally presented on Wednesday by MP Frans Richardson. Richardson and Leonard both indicated their willingness to possibly merge the two motions.
Richardson again gave an emotional presentation about protecting Mullet Pond, saving Emilio Wilson Estate from development and the need to keep the promises made to many youngsters and others in the community to do so. NA members have co-signed Richardson's three motions.
Wednesday's Parliament meeting started at 10:00am with MPs posing questions on matters related to the budget, the presentations by the Ministers on Tuesday and general matters. The Council of Ministers addressed their queries and the debate moved into the second round.
The debate was suspended until 2:00pm today when the five MPs still to speak will address Parliament, followed by closing statements and answers from the ministers.
At the close of the debate, Parliament will move to the voting on the amendments to the budget, related motions and the budget in its entirety. It is expected that the budget will pass with the UP/DP/Illidge coalition's nine votes, finally giving the country a budget from which to operate, close to three months into the year. Government and Parliament are operating using the figures of the 2011 budget.
Yesterday's budget debate was not without its procedural squabble between MP William Marlin (NA) and President of Parliament Gracita Arrindell which led to Marlin shouting at Arrindell.
The issue at hand was an overview of Arrindell's travels in her capacity as President of Parliament. She said a copy of the overview, delivered by Finance Minister Hiro Shigemoto, would be given to Marlin after it was reviewed by the presidium of Parliament. William Marlin was not in agreement with this and objected vehemently.
Yorkshire Tottenham Hotspur Comedy Global economy BBC2 Twilight
No comments:
Post a Comment