The scenario is familiar. The first night you get a hurried phone call just as you’ve popped the veggies on. The questions are preceded by the promise that ‘this is not a marketing call and I’m not trying to sell you anything. I give them my age, ‘rough’ salary range whether I have a mortgage and what industry I work in. All pretty innocuous and an efficient goodbye with the teaser that I ‘might’ be contacted to hear about the latest Government tax arrangements. Oh well.
Two nights later the fish is coming along nicely under the grill just as the phone rings. Remember two nights ago you answered a few questions about your salary and the industry you worked for? Of course, I may not remember to buy milk on the way home but I do remember that call. Well guess what? I am one of a handful of people who has been ‘selected’ to attend a personalised session to discuss how to reduce my income tax.
Gulp
Crickets chirp
What do I think about that?
Well frankly I’m appalled. Why would I be interested in reducing my income tax? Well no-one wants to pay income tax apparently so they are sure I’d want to know ways to reduce mine.
Actually I don’t mind paying income tax, I think it’s my responsibility as a wage earner and citizen to contribute.
They aren’t suggesting I pay NO tax just reduce my income tax.
You know what; I’m actually philosophically opposed to the idea that everyone ‘should’ find ways to reduce their income tax. If they are paying what the government has determined is the correct rate then that’s as it ought to be. Imagine if everyone took the stance of paying less than they were supposed to. Aren’t government programs worked out on what they expect to reap from income tax by the amount we’re expected to pay?
Apparently no one else they have spoken to has had an objection, in fact quite the opposite. Well that’s the problem isn’t it? Won’t they be the ones who’ll complain when they are on an even longer waiting list to have an operation or have to travel great distances in dodgy public transport on crappy roads to take their kids to school because the local ones are full or closed? I want to receive a full pension when I retire but I won’t if the funds aren’t there and I want my medications to continue to be subsidised and not just mine but the ones that cancer sufferers need but would not be able to afford if they were a couple of thousand of dollars per pack.
Pretty soon he ran out of steam, told me he appreciated my concern and approach. Just before we parted company though he wondered if I might then rather have a chat with someone about investing in property to maximise my savings (not sure if I buy something how that increases my saving, however...)?
I suggested it was difficult to imagine I would have any business relationship with a company whose basic operating model was formulated on a philosophy I found offensive.
Now you might be better able to understand why reducing income tax would be a good thing but it really got up my nose. I think there is a lot of mismanagement in government BUT that is different to why we ought to feel that paying our fair share of tax is a good thing. I would rather not have any of my tax pay for military offence (I am okay with defence of our borders), I am not convinced of the need for funding for the arts and I would rather our money was spent processing refugees in Indonesia and Malaysia then flying them here than encouraging people to get on rickety boats risking their lives to get where they will end up anyway. BUT still no reasons for paying less than my fair share.
I’m not sure if this was all a scam, an unwise ‘sell’ or an opportunist grab for business from the greedy and irresponsible.
I am sure it annoyed me.
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