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From Bicycles To Washing Machines: Sweden To Give Tax Breaks For Repairs (mnn.com)
jenningsthecat writes: The Swedish government is putting its money where its mouth is when it comes to encouraging the repair of stuff that would otherwise be thrown away, according to both The Guardian and Fast Company. The country's Social Democrat and Green party coalition have submitted proposals to Parliament that would reduce the value-added-tax (VAT) on bicycle, clothing, and shoe repairs from 25% to 12%. Also proposed is an income tax deduction equalling half the labor cost of repairing household appliances. According to The Guardian, "the incentives are part of a shift in government focus from reducing carbon emissions produced domestically to reducing emissions tied to goods produced elsewhere." Per Bolund, Sweden's Minister for Financial Markets and Consumer Affairs, said the policy also tied in with international trends around reduced consumption and crafts, such as the "maker movement" and the sharing economy, both of which have strong followings in Sweden. The VAT cut may create more jobs for immigrants as it could spur the creation of a new home-repairs service industry. Also, from a science standpoint, the incentives could help cut the cost of carbon emissions on the planet as it should in theory reduce emissions linked to consumption. "I believe there is a shift in view in Sweden at the moment. There is an increased knowledge that we need to make our things last longer in order to reduce materials' consumption," Bolund said. The Guardian's report concludes: "The proposals will be presented in parliament as part of the government's budget proposals and if voted through in December will become law from January 1, 2017."
I doubt this will be a compelling incentive if the cost of repair labor in Sweden is comparable to that in the United States. People don't repair things because (a) many are deliberately designed not to be easily reparable and (b) the labor cost of the "experts" is disproportionate to the value of having it repaired. Shaving a little bit off the sales tax of the bill is not going to offset the disproportionate cost of the alleged expertise.
Until you figure out that the tax cut is not to corporations and the rich, but to regular people, and alt-right heads explodes instead.
You are welcome on my lawn.
I wonder if EU commission will let that happen without complaining it violates EU's crazy free market rules
That depends on how it is implemented. If there is a requirement that the repairperson is local to Sweden, then that would violate EU rules, and can, and should be, banned. But if a Swede can drive to Finland or Denmark to have the repair done, and still get the tax break, then it should be okay.
Sweden?!?! Tax cut?!?!?
Sweden has high taxes by American standards, but by many measures they are otherwise even more capitalist than America. Their post office is privatized, as is a big fraction of their educational system. It is very easy to start a business, and while regulations are strict, they are also streamlined and the bureaucracy is fast and efficient. Sweden ranks 8th out of 185 countries on the Ease of doing business index. America is only one notch higher.
Before rescuing the planet from carbon emissions the Swedes might want to rescue their country first:
SWEDEN IN CHAOS: Number of ‘no-go zones’ INCREASED as police lose control over violence
Sweden turns on migrants amid rise in violence and sex attacks
Sweden on the BRINK: Malmö in flames as vengeful thugs set cars alight
...we can't shop our way to a greener future? Consumer choice of which soon-to-be-landfill products isn't going to prevent climate change?!
Germany has been doing this for years but in the form of a tax refund. You get all of the VAT back for things like the gardner, house cleaning or plumber but only up to 2k€ or so. Supposed to discourage undocumented work (and help Germany collect the labor income taxes).
Tax cuts benefit those who pay more taxes - the rich. A family that exists just above the poverty line is not going to get anything back when they have their washing machine repaired. But a wealthy individual would get a significant amount back - hardly fair.
A better solution would be to increase the "environmental" tax and apply the additional tax revenue to pay for recycling and other environmental programs. Now everyone benefits equally. And by raising the price of appliances, the government would be promoting more repair and reuse of appliances.
The immigrants set lots of cars on fire all the time.
Where I live towards the end of August more or less all the windows in the area center had been smashed and two weeks ago a car was lit on fire on "my" parking loot, someone had to set the youth center and music and dancing activity center on fire as-well as the children facility of the primary care center.
We also have all the immigrants in Malmö who use a in debt / criminal / social low-life "guardian" as owner of their car to not pay any taxes, insurance or parking fees and tickets and then when the cars are eventually removed from the system since no-one will pay all the fines on purchase they are just scrapped and what was it more that I was thinking off ...
Our "environmentalist" (more like "immigrationalists") "progressives" hate any personal responsibility for progression and any progression you can accomplish yourself, but they totally want society to bring it for you, with .. well.. the usual result I guess, which is close to none.
The Social rats dictatorship party know they need the beggars, the complainers, the demands, the free-loaders, the rats, the trouble-makers, the "the situation and actions of and in my life is someone elseÂs fault"-trash people to remain in power so they are so willing to bring in more of them and let them have their way.
Also of course Sweden is a country where vehicles are upgraded with new ones ran on bio gas or ethanol and so on because we all know that's environment friendly to produce as is replacing the vehicle fleet.
It's just a joke. But supposedly it's a good joke and if you're not in then you're a racist fascist anti-democrat.
Oh, and our local municipal home owner (which own lots of homes in this city) has figured out that having a working income will be a demand to get 75% of the apartments they rent out in the most trashy immigrant dense areas whereas in other places of the city for some apartments if you've lived with them or been in queue for over four years (as in not newly arrived immigrant) you will not be able to apply for it.
Because socialists politicians know best. Diversity & multi-culturalism - until the last European is dead and what was Europe is gone.
I'd really like to see what factual basis you're employing for this argument, because I'm not seeing one. In fact, I come to exactly the opposite conclusion, maybe because (a) I live in Sweden, (b) I know what a washing machine costs here, and (c) I can do simple maths.
Washing machine X costs the same regardless of your income. (Yes, if you make more, you can buy a more expensive machine, in which case it's a different machine.)
If I make 100000 SEK a year and spend 10000 of it on that washing machine, that's 10% of my income. If I spend 5000 to repair it, that's 5%. If I get back 2500 of that on my taxes, that's 2.5%.
If I make 200000 SEK a year and spend 10000 of it on a washing machine, that's 5% of my income. If I spend 5000 to repair it, that's 2.5%. If I get back 2500 of that on my taxes, that's 1.25%.
So, if anything, the tax cut actually benefits low-income folks *more* than it does the wealthy since it returns a greater proportion of their income. What's your evidence to the contrary, other than grand pronouncements?
Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
High tax rate but also high return on value to citizens. The US has a very low tax rate but also a very low return back to citizens. What pisses off people is when they pay taxes but get very little to show for it (except a gargantuan military).