Taxing on principle, not politics

It will be difficult, however, to change a tax policy that has for so long a time been conducted in the interests of the wealthy and powerful.

To end this policy of "stealing from the poor to give to the rich" and to prevent the continued shrinking of the tax base, the government should reconsider its tax policy.

It should pay careful attention to the Finance Revenue and Expenditure Act (財政收支劃分法), which states that all levels of government must propose alternative revenue sources if they reduce taxes.

The government should also reconsider its unfair tax polices such as the reductions in the business tax on banks and possible further reduction of the stock transaction tax.

Right now, the government is unable to get its deficit under control.

Premier Siew said after the 921 quake that "the government will not raise or lower taxes this year," proof that the adminis-tration's decisions to raise or lower taxes are based purely on political and "non-economic" factors instead of financal.

The words of Hoelderlin come to mind, "People try to turn their nation into heaven, but end up making it into a hell."

Hong Chi-chang is a DPP legislator.