The Budget Thread

**pete** · 14/10/2008, 3:47 PM

1% income levy on earnings up to €100,000, and 2% on earnings over that

He will get slated for that as will also affect the lowest paid.

Looks like he sprinkled the fairy dust of tax increase on anything he could think of. Can't find a targeted policy of any sort.

Medical card means tested for 70+ but if you don't quality get E400 grant. Seems like will cost more to operate than any savings made.

Lots of tax increases, not many spending cuts. Good times good, hope ye enjoyed it.

Were there any property changes? Media seemed to be talking up that likelihood... I only saw...

Top rate of commercial property stamp duty cut from 9% to 6%

**OneRedArmy** · 14/10/2008, 3:47 PM

FF prove they're a one trick pony.

I can't see one thing that I would see as "innovative".

As for raising taxes in the face of a recession, you don't need to be Paul Krugman to see the folly of this.

Clueless, but we (collectively in case anyone thinks I was stupid enough to vote for what is basically a front for the VFI and the CIF) deserve it for voting them in...

**Dodge** · 14/10/2008, 3:54 PM

Originally Posted by pete

Were there any property changes? Media seemed to be talking up that likelihood... I only saw...

From IT bit
---

€5 million for warmer homes scheme
€1.65 billion to be spent to housing programmes in 2009
Government to take an equity share in affordable housing

**Dodge** · 14/10/2008, 3:57 PM

Actually, everything is here
http://www.budget.gov.ie/2009/budgetsummary09.html

http://www.budget.gov.ie/

**Reality Bites** · 14/10/2008, 4:09 PM

He Bottled it Big Style - Nothing Nefarious in this when there should have been a few Haymakers

**jebus** · 14/10/2008, 4:11 PM

Good God, wine has gone up by 50%

It's like they don't want us to be cultured

**pete** · 14/10/2008, 4:14 PM

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

I can't see one thing that I would see as "innovative".

Not seen an innovative budget for a long time.

Tax Calculator

Edit: Using some sample incomes can see tax increases not exactly progressive. The calculator only accounts for the direct income taxes. With VAT increases means almost everything you purchase increases by 0.5%

**Angus** · 14/10/2008, 4:15 PM

Utterly inept - under what possible economic theory manual did this clown find the inspiration to increase spending - not just spending but spending to the public service ?

The bottomless pits that are health and education - and before anybody responds - let's get one thing out of the way - there is mopre than enough money in health and education - the problem is waste, mismanagement, insufficient supervision and oversight by politicaians, and a desire to outsource responsibility.

The other piece I love is the 41 state agencies merged - this makes zero difference to the bottom line and is simply a recipe for more navel gazing as these irrelevant and useless agencies consider how to merge with each other

Disaster - since when was tax and spend a plausible way out of a recession ?

**Longfordian** · 14/10/2008, 4:19 PM

Originally Posted by jebus

Good God, wine has gone up by 50%

It's like they don't want us to be cultured

If you're drinking €1 bottles of wine, you won't have to worry about it for much longer!. It's 50c a bottle jebus.

**OneRedArmy** · 14/10/2008, 4:21 PM

Originally Posted by jebus

Good God, wine has gone up by 50%

It's like they don't want us to be cultured

What do you expect from the political wing of the VFI? Tax what people drink least in pubs....

Originally Posted by Reality Bites

He Bottled it Big Style - Nothing Nefarious in this when there should have been a few Haymakers

Do you think it should've been more penal?

Originally Posted by pete

Not seen an innovative budget for a long time.

Tax Calculator

Profiligate in the good times, rabbits in the headlights in the bad.

**NeilMcD** · 14/10/2008, 4:22 PM

Originally Posted by Longfordian

If you're drinking €1 bottles of wine, you won't have to worry about it for much longer!. It's 50c a bottle jebus.

Classic.

**pete** · 14/10/2008, 4:30 PM

Originally Posted by Angus

The other piece I love is the 41 state agencies merged - this makes zero difference to the bottom line and is simply a recipe for more navel gazing as these irrelevant and useless agencies consider how to merge with each other

I am sure could find a good case to eliminate half those state agencies.

I would guess do not need to earn huge wage to see all taxes (not just income) increase by E1,000.

Cut Tax & cut spending would be standard way out of recession but our finances so bad can't make numbers work like that.

**jebus** · 14/10/2008, 4:34 PM

Originally Posted by Longfordian

If you're drinking €1 bottles of wine, you won't have to worry about it for much longer!. It's 50c a bottle jebus.

Ah okay, that eases my fears. I thought it was 50% mark up on all wines, not 50c a bottle

**NeilMcD** · 14/10/2008, 4:57 PM

Was that really your biggest fear.

**mypost** · 14/10/2008, 5:05 PM

Social welfare above the €200 mark from January to €204 per week.

**pete** · 14/10/2008, 5:34 PM

Originally Posted by jebus

Ah okay, that eases my fears. I thought it was 50% mark up on all wines, not 50c a bottle

Pretty harsh on on the E4 plonk drinkers as they will see the same increase connoisseurs of E100 Chateau de whatever.

**dahamsta** · 14/10/2008, 5:35 PM

Just to concur with the earlier poster on calling these tax hikes a "levy" btw. I know there's an awful lot of stupid people in Ireland, but Fianna Fail is really pushing the boat out on stupidity with that one...