France: Constitutional Council strikes down 75% rich tax

[muck]

Link

French 75% income tax struck down by constitutional council

France's constitutional council has struck down a top income tax rate of 75% introduced by Socialist President Francois Hollande.
Raising taxes for those earning more than 1m euros (£817,400) has been a flagship policy for Mr Hollande.
The policy angered France's business community and prompted some wealthy citizens to say they would emigrate.
Mr Hollande's government said it would rework the tax, due to take effect in 2013, to meet the council's complaints.
In its ruling on Saturday, the Constitutional Council said the new tax rate "failed to recognise equality before public burdens" because, unlike other forms of income tax, it was to be applied to individuals rather than households.

For example, that meant a household in which one person earned more than 1m euros would pay the tax, but a household in which two people earned 900,000 euros each would not have to pay.
The council also rejected new methods for calculating the tax.

But Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said the government would press ahead with the new tax rate. (...)

Only goes to show what a joke this tax is... and Hollande's government, too.

[Steak-Sauce]

Already being discussed here: http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums...=1#post6509532

[Nansouty]

Given that the Constitutional Council is named by the President, the Chairman of the House and that of the Senate, and that these have been right wing for quite some time, this is hardly surprising, given the Council's current political color.

[Martel]

Given that the Constitutional Council is named by the President, the Chairman of the House and that of the Senate, and that these have been right wing for quite some time, this is hardly surprising, given the Council's current political color.

That's not true. Only a very few left-wing politicians play this card. Most of them agree that the council was impartial and its decision "constitutionally motivated".

[Nansouty]

Maybe, as I'd not read the motives when I made my post. But frankly, seeing how it sometimesd worked in the past, my mistake was understandable.

[601TΠ]

These Socialthieves knew the law was unconstitutional ,but they did it to have the political alibi , ''people we did out part to punish the bad rich people but they are powerful and control the system'' blah blah. Next time they can go for the 99% taxation of the income, let 1% of it left to the rich so they can take the bus going to their factories to earn for the Leninist government.

[Telmar]

Given that the Constitutional Council is named by the President, the Chairman of the House and that of the Senate, and that these have been right wing for quite some time, this is hardly surprising, given the Council's current political color.

This is ridiculous Nansouty, I thought you were part of the more reasonable French posters even though you are left wing. You know very well why the law is unconstitutional according to the council: the tax was calculated on individuals and not on fiscal households.

In France, taxes are calculated like this:

a single person = one fiscal houseld
married couple = one fiscal household

The result was that a married couple making each 990 000 euros were not subject to the tax but a married couple with one member making 1 000 001 euros was. It breaches the equal treatment of citizens from tax. A blatant mistake of the present administration that shows the level of incompetence never before reached. Honestly, I watched Hollande on the TV last night for his "wishes". With him and his fine men and women the "Marseillaise" should be replaced by music from the Pinder circus.

The council did not determine that 75% was unconstitutional. It might not be, albeit it being in my opinion confiscatory.