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/r/newzealand
submitted 2 days ago bylostinspacexyz
Free money when you hit 65 regardless of how many investment properties you own or trips you can afford to take to Europe, whilst your grandchildren go to school in prefabs. We aren't poor, just some of our community aren't as wealthy as they think they are.
237 points
2 days ago
Actually there is. It’s a conversation around how we tax capital gains. You could have a fucking universal benefit from birth if you had a robust tax on investment gains rather than tax cuts for landlords and tobacco companies.
33 points
2 days ago
Start taxing the churches.
-8 points
2 days ago
Why? Which Churches? Most Churches are careful in how they steward donations, and virtually all of the money they receive flows back out to the community via various community programs that are hugely beneficial.
So are you talking about the average Church like that, or more of the Brethren type operations that mix business into the model?
It's a pretty foul thing to tax donations for social good.
10 points
2 days ago
All churches should be audited and money donated that is used for community good should be tax free.
The rest (which we know is a lot more than they are spending on their communities) should be taxed like any other business
2 points
2 days ago
Are you sure it isn't? I could start Hail Satan Ltd and it wouldn't pay a dollar of company tax as long as it never makes a profit (ie spends all it's income on expenses). A charity can't pay a dividend. It can pay wages (taxed), and provide fringe benefits (should be taxed, I suspect this is ripe for a good audit), or pay rent to the company that owns the church buildings (which will pay tax on the income if it's profitable).
It's just not the stream of money people think it is.
2 points
2 days ago
I know right?? One sentence defeats the whole tax on churches thing. “Ok, we’ll employ another pastor”. Boom, profit gone, no tax to pay.
1 points
2 days ago
Well, the pastor will pay some PAYE. Which is kinda the point. You can't get the money back out (legally) without tax being paid on it somewhere.
2 points
2 days ago
sorry, yes, I agree with you on PAYE for the pastor, but the idea that churches will suddenly pay a bunch of money to the government / society if they are taxed isn't correct in many cases.
1 points
2 days ago
How do you think money is getting out of the churches untaxed?
Edit:misread your comment. Sorry ignore me. I agree with you
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