Denmark's 2006 public finances has a surplus of 6% of GDP

[Monk]

Originally posted by BlackCat
Just saw in telly that we need another bridge across øresund and one to fehmern, so no need for OL to use the money.

Oh dear. More bridges.

Well, the bridge part is not so bad. It's the now-we-have-to-build-more-useless-motorways-elsewhere thing.

[Thue]

Originally posted by Eli
That money is always paying for something, whether it's the government who pays(no tax-cut) or the citizens(with a tax-cut). My rudimentary understanding says that the overall inflation shouldn't be affected.

But if everybody is already working flat-out then what does the society as a whole get for the money? Nothing, since people can't produce more than they did before. The money is just being redistributed.

[Zkribbler]

Winston is gonna blow a gasket when he sees this.

Remember his recent post, which ended with him thinking about emigrating:

Today, an agreement was reached between virtually all parties in Parliament that this license will henceforth be known as a Media License, and that it will be extended to include not only TV's, but also certain cell phones and other portable media devices capable of receiving TV signals - as well as all computers equipped with a tuner for receiving TV signals and/or having an Internet connection with a speed of 256 Kbit/s or above.

[Dinner]

If they have such a surplus then why is Denmark raising the TV tax and hitting internet users and mobile phone users with it as well?

[Monk]

Originally posted by Oerdin
If they have such a surplus then why is Denmark raising the TV tax and hitting internet users and mobile phone users with it as well?

For the record it's not really a tax (edit: and I'll have to check if there's actually a raise going on, other than the usual adjustment for inflation). Whatever it is, they're extending it to (some) internet and mobile phone users.

Why? Because back in the day, somebody came up with the notion that if you own a TV, you have to pay for being able to watch national television (even if you don't). Now, that thought is obviously flawed, but if you do accept it, I agree it's reasonable to extend it to whatever device gives you the exact same opportunity.

Another point is that national TV is supposed to be financed by its customers rather than benefit from an automatic hand-out that everybody will have to pay for. The way things are now, people like Winston can still choose to stay on the right side of the law and not finance an institution they don't use nor endorse.

[BlackCat]

Originally posted by Oerdin
If they have such a surplus then why is Denmark raising the TV tax and hitting internet users and mobile phone users with it as well?

It's not a tax as such, but more like a PPV where if you are able to see it, then you pay. As Monk says, it's more like an adoption to modern techniqe so if you have a high speed line and didn't have a tv before, then you have to pay too. Since it's only Winston's that are hit, then it isn't actually a great issue.

[Dinner]

Fees charged by the state are just taxes by another name.

[BlackCat]

Kind of, but these doesn't pour into the gap of the state but to the organisation making the TV/radio, and no, they don't make any "profit" that is returned to the state.

[Monk]

Originally posted by BlackCat
Kind of, but these doesn't pour into the gap of the state but to the organisation making the TV/radio, and no, they don't make any "profit" that is returned to the state.

Exactly. Since both ways of taking my money do just that, take my money that is, I understand Oerdin's point. Fees and taxes do remain seperate things for several purposes though, and therein lies the reason why it's not so simple to include the media license in the ordinary tax system, nor get rid of it altogether due to the economy doing well.

Once again for the record, I do agree that a reform is in order, one that goes in the opposite way of the recent one.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Oerdin
Fees charged by the state are just taxes by another name.

So is inflation and debt.

[BlackCat]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


So is inflation and debt.

Well, then our rightwing government must do something right since we have really low inflation, high employment and as the OP states, a surplus

* Ned cries since that isn't supposed to be possible

[LordShiva]

Originally posted by Eli
That money is always paying for something, whether it's the government who pays(no tax-cut) or the citizens(with a tax-cut).

That's not true. The government doesn't need to spend all the money it collects.

[Barnabas]

Originally posted by dannubis
WTF is Alberta ?

Some hot chick, I hope

[chequita guevara]

It's a nasty cold place that sits on top of some tar sands.

[BlackCat]

Originally posted by Brachy-Pride


Some hot chick, I hope

If I understand it right, then it's some indian girlie raped by canucks.