Mr. Tan,
Some Singaporeans are quite stupid. When you propose that the govt should provide better benefits to citizens, e.g. to encourage them to have more children, they immediate react with the statement - do I have to pay more taxes?
They do not realize that they are already paying a very high rate of tax, which is why the govt is able to stash away so much money into the reserves and various kinds of special funds - that I honestly lost count.
By high rate of tax, we should include the high prices paid for private and public property built on leasehold land sold by the government and the high vehicle taxes that have a lease of ten years.
At one time, the owners thought that property is a good investment. They now realize that their property will stop appreciating after 40 years and may decline soon thereafter.
They are not investing in the property. They are paying a high rate of tax collected in advance by the govt, and marketed as "a great investment". How stupid can people be?
Even the high rate of contribution to the CPF is not savings. A large part of it is used to pay for health care cost and for the purchase of the expensive property which be fully consumed during the term of the lease.
Do you agree that we are really paying a high rate of tax and getting very little social benefit from the govt?
Reply
I agree with your view. We are certainly paying a very high rate of tax. That is why the govt has so much surplus, including the undisclosed money transferred into the reserves.
That is why they can afford to spend huge sums of money on weapons and infrastructure, some of which are spent quite recklessly.
It is possible for the govt to reduce the cost of living for the citizens and provide better health care and other social benefits, including paying a large share of the cost of raising children, without increasing the current tax burden on the citizens.
The citizens have long been brainwashed into thinking that more benefits means more taxes. They do not realize that they are paying a high rate of taxes and not getting the benefits that should come from the taxes that they pay.
Tan Kin Lian
Some Singaporeans are quite stupid. When you propose that the govt should provide better benefits to citizens, e.g. to encourage them to have more children, they immediate react with the statement - do I have to pay more taxes?
They do not realize that they are already paying a very high rate of tax, which is why the govt is able to stash away so much money into the reserves and various kinds of special funds - that I honestly lost count.
By high rate of tax, we should include the high prices paid for private and public property built on leasehold land sold by the government and the high vehicle taxes that have a lease of ten years.
At one time, the owners thought that property is a good investment. They now realize that their property will stop appreciating after 40 years and may decline soon thereafter.
They are not investing in the property. They are paying a high rate of tax collected in advance by the govt, and marketed as "a great investment". How stupid can people be?
Even the high rate of contribution to the CPF is not savings. A large part of it is used to pay for health care cost and for the purchase of the expensive property which be fully consumed during the term of the lease.
Do you agree that we are really paying a high rate of tax and getting very little social benefit from the govt?
Reply
I agree with your view. We are certainly paying a very high rate of tax. That is why the govt has so much surplus, including the undisclosed money transferred into the reserves.
That is why they can afford to spend huge sums of money on weapons and infrastructure, some of which are spent quite recklessly.
It is possible for the govt to reduce the cost of living for the citizens and provide better health care and other social benefits, including paying a large share of the cost of raising children, without increasing the current tax burden on the citizens.
The citizens have long been brainwashed into thinking that more benefits means more taxes. They do not realize that they are paying a high rate of taxes and not getting the benefits that should come from the taxes that they pay.
Tan Kin Lian
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