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Yes, it’s time to talk regarding taxes
The Committee of experts appointed by the Government released its White Paper on Tax Reform. It contains a detailed diagnosis of the Spanish tax system and proposes measures on some taxes. Measures that can be described as moderate, the result of consensus among a very large group of experts with various specializations.
The Government, convening said Committee, sought to buy time before addressing a very sensitive issue for society. But, exhausted that long period, the ball returned to the roof of the Government. And his response has been discouraging, indicating that now it is not time to talk regarding this issue.
It is disappointing that the political class robs us of a serene and fruitful debate on this crucial issue for our present and future. The opposition makes a crude speech: it identifies any attempt to talk regarding changes in taxes with a “fiscal blow”. The debate should focus on the amount and quality of public services that we all want to support, this being the basis for defining a fair tax system that adequately finances these services. This is also underlined by the Committee: “A key element is that society assumes and shares the need for global coherence between the level of provision of public services and… the tax burden.” But the opposition directs the debate towards the most arid part, financing via taxes, to hide the ultimate consequence of its political proposal, which is none other than to reduce the public offer of education, health or social services.
And the Government, with its refusal to talk regarding this issue (now it does not touch), plays along with this vulgar discourse of the opposition, since it seems to accept that any reform that improves and modernizes our tax system is harmful to citizens. Resigns to debate, to do pedagogy, to convince. And it intentionally confuses measures that might lead to a rapid and short-term rise in taxes, which are actually not relevant now, with a debate to address a comprehensive reform of our obsolete tax system, which is relevant, and with increasing urgency. .
It’s been a long time since we talked seriously regarding this topic. And this is still a good time to do it and tackle tax reform. These are the main reasons:
The Committee made a lengthy diagnosis and provided some proposals for improving the tax system, although it has avoided making them on some of the fundamental taxes. Quite a few proposals already appeared in reports from previous committees convened by governments led by the now first opposition party. It should serve to initiate a reform accepted by a broad representation of parliamentarians.
The war has shocked us all. It has tragically changed the lives of millions of people. In the field of the Spanish economy, it seriously threatens the recovery that we already glimpsed. And yes, some fiscal relief may be convenient, provided that its conjunctural and reversible nature is clearly reported. But, however harsh that reality may be, it cannot become an excuse to abandon the path of reforms that should allow this country to take a leap forward and take advantage of the new economic realities. And one of the urgent reforms is that of the tax system. A reform of the structures of the system to, adapting to the times, increase its potential and make it fairer. He used to play a long time ago, but now he plays even more.
