Lower States operating costs – not increase them
WE ARE all concerned about the future finances of the island. However, GST does not appear to be the most efficient way to resolve the problem. The cost of administering GST appears to be astronomical. We need to reduce States administrative costs, not increase them.
The increase on goods purchased from outside the island during the pandemic will escalate, there will be more costs involved in collecting tax on these goods.
It would be far more efficient to increase existing or re-introduce taxes. We already have road tax in the states armoury. With the pressure to move away from polluting fossil fuel cars to electric vehicles the tax taken from fossil fuels will plummet, yet the idea was to replace road tax. Electric vehicles pay nothing to use the roads.
As a small business that has been operating for over 40 years, with GST there would be more administration to deal with which would push up our costs.
If income tax were increased it could be fine tuned with allowances, we would pay more in a good year.
The pandemic hit our business hard and we are still suffering from the high level of cancellations due to Covid.
NICK AND CAROLINE JACKSON
Otterbourne Riding Centre