Tax cut zombies

9:58 Feb 10, 2010 65

Dear DomPost. Your headline today, in very large letters, said "$4b in tax cuts coming".

People might read that, and think that there are $4b in tax cuts coming.

Except that it's $4b in tax cuts, funding by $4b in tax hikes.

Lemme do the maths for you.

$4b - $4b = $0

$0. That's what "revenue neutral" means.

Has half a decade of mindless calls for "taaax cuuut... taaax cuuuutss..." rotten your brain so much that you're starting to see tax cuts everywhere you look? Does your cat look like a tax cut to you?

65 responses to this post

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Morgan Davie, 10:22 Feb 10, 2010

Stop using maths, Keith, and give me my tax cuts.

Wellington • Since May 2008 • 36 posts Report
Peter Martin, 10:26 Feb 10, 2010

Hey...arithmetic stole my tax cuts.

Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 187 posts Report
Christopher Nimmo, 10:28 Feb 10, 2010

Ah, but the editors will be getting a tax cut.
And Key himself was talking about a "3 or 4 billion dollar package", wasn't he?
And Johnny would never tell a lie!

Wellington • Since May 2009 • 97 posts Report
Hadyn Green, 10:45 Feb 10, 2010

National Standards in numeracy FTW!

Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report
Graeme Edgeler, 10:51 Feb 10, 2010

And Key himself was talking about a "3 or 4 billion dollar package", wasn't he?
And Johnny would never tell a lie!
Should have called it a "6 to 8 billion dollar package": $3b-$4b in tax cuts, and $3b-$4b in tax increases...

Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report
Stephen Judd, 10:53 Feb 10, 2010

I was spluttering about this over breakfast this morning.
The comments on the article on Stuff indicate that the public is not fooled, however. I loved the one that called key "the most anti-natalist ruler since King Herod."

Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report
Mike Graham, 10:59 Feb 10, 2010

stop being so logical Keith - remember that this is politics.
Good post.

Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 206 posts Report
James W, 11:04 Feb 10, 2010

I found it interesting that the Herald's graphic in today's paper (showing what your net gain from the tax cuts minus GST hike would be) started the income at $30,000, despite over 50% of the population earning less than $30,000. Since $30k a year equaled about $2.59 more per week, what will those below that get?

Since Jul 2008 • 136 posts Report
Keith Ng, 11:06 Feb 10, 2010

I remember when I used to get outraged about people failing to adjust shit by CPI and drawing inappropriate conclusions from indicies.
Now, the frontline in the war on numeracy has shifted to "4 - 4 = 0, not 4 mutherfuckers!". Clearly, this is not going well.

Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 543 posts Report
Tom Semmens, 11:22 Feb 10, 2010

found it interesting that the Herald's graphic in today's paper (showing what your net gain from the tax cuts minus GST hike would be) started the income at $30,000,
Recently 2500 people queuing for supermarket jobs was treated by our corporate media like a revelation from another country. Why should those people be any more visible to the Herald today?
Welcome to two step New Zealand, where the greedy neither know or care about the rest.

Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report
Just thinking, 11:28 Feb 10, 2010

Keith it clearly is a tax cut for those whose income is beyond sufficent, let us call them "Fat Catz". The Fat Catz will have a substantial tax cut on income.
International flights are tax free, as is duty free.
Fat Catz will have substantially more money to spend in the failing Hawaiian economy at their holiday home or island.

Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report
JackElder, 11:31 Feb 10, 2010

All cats look like tax cuts to me.

Wellington • Since Mar 2008 • 709 posts Report
Bart Janssen, 11:36 Feb 10, 2010

This is why we need better numeracy standards!

Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report
Stephen Judd, 11:39 Feb 10, 2010

And longer memories?

Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report
stephen clover, 11:58 Feb 10, 2010

Philip K Dick, VALIS chapter 2:
No need existed to bait Fat with idle questions, such as, "If God can do anything can he create a ditch so wide he can't jump over it?" We had plenty of real questions that Fat couldn't field. Our friend Kevin always began his attack one way. "What about my dead cat?" Kevin would ask.
Several years ago, Kevin had been out walking his cat in the early evening. Kevin, the fool, had not put the cat on a leash, and the cat had dashed into the street and right into the front wheel of a passing car. When he picked up the remains of the cat it was still alive, breathing in bloody foam and staring at him in horror. Kevin liked to say, "On judgment day when I'm brought up before the great judge I'm going to say, 'Hold on a second,' and then I'm going to whip out my dead cat from inside my coat. 'How do you explain this?' I'm going to ask."
By then, Kevin used to say, the cat would be as stiff as a frying pan; he would hold out the cat by its handle, its tail, and wait for a satisfactory answer.

wgtn • Since Sep 2007 • 355 posts Report
Joshua Drummond, 12:02 Feb 10, 2010

Guys, it's simple. Look. Nice Mr Key was worried before the election that mean old Nanny Labour wouldn't let ordinary people have cheese. So he's gonna cut taxes so rich people can have more cheese, and jack up the tax on cheese.
Wait, what?

Since Nov 2006 • 119 posts Report
Just thinking, 12:13 Feb 10, 2010

Was that insightful and increasingly meaningful question asked by Radio NZs own Jane Patterson?

Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report
Sacha, 12:15 Feb 10, 2010

But the cheese will be better incentivised for success, Joshua.
Fondue is our bright future.

Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report
recordari, 12:23 Feb 10, 2010

Soufflé, surely?
Damn it, I already played my Pride and Prejudice and Zombies card, although it would have been near perfect in this case.
And to think, not even a bite from our resident Austenite.

AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report
Samuel Scott, 12:49 Feb 10, 2010

We could have GST exemption on only the best cheeses?
The thing which gets me about the rise in GST (and excuse me if this point has come up on a different thread) is that many people wont pay much more GST at all. Those people are the GST registered sole traders, and CEOs with expense accounts for everything.
I have no idea what % of people in NZ make large claims against their GST, but I have a feeling that most wont be living below the poverty line. You don't have to register for GST if you earn below $30k and you can't register of (like most people) you are part of the PAYE tax system (am I right on these points..?).
It seems deeply unfair to be raising the cost of food by 2.5% at a time when the media are on a rampage (all be it a worthy rampage) to try and make people by healthier, less factory farmed, more in season, more local food. AND that richer people wont find the cost of their dinner at Logan Brown going up at all because it was a 'business meeting'.

South Wellington • Since Feb 2008 • 315 posts Report
Samuel Scott, 12:50 Feb 10, 2010

And in full disclosure, I am a GST registered sole trader musician who can claim the GST on the new Connan Mockasin album when I go out and buy it next week.

South Wellington • Since Feb 2008 • 315 posts Report
Just thinking, 13:02 Feb 10, 2010

Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report
Sacha, 13:05 Feb 10, 2010

You don't have to register for GST if you earn below $30k
Optional below 40k

Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report
Robert Urquhart, 13:11 Feb 10, 2010

Optional below 60k, as of the last budget.

Christchurch • Since Mar 2009 • 163 posts Report
Sacha, 13:17 Feb 10, 2010

Doh

Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report