Image via WikipediaGeorges Danton, leader of one of the revolutionary factions, was asked how the opposing forces could possibly be beaten. He replied
'With boldness, more boldness and continuing boldness.' (1)
France once again is in danger....of losing its AAA rating.....and the Prime Minister, Francois Fillon, as befits the son of an historian, has taken Danton's words to heart.
As part of the austerity measures announced to make up France's deficit he has boldly announced that the VAT charged on the admissions to theme parks will increase from 5.5 per cent to 19.6.
Let speculators tremble.
Even more boldly, he has announced that there will be an increased tax on fizzy drinks - a double blow to the visitors to Disneyland and Parc Asterix - not only to raise money, goodness me no, but because the sugar added to these drinks leads to obesity.
Let Standard and Poor retreat.
And just when the parent who has rashly promised his tax efficient family of three children a visit to a theme park reaches for the cup which cheers and also inebriates he learns of the continuing boldness of Monsieur Fillon....a further tax on strong liquor.
Let bankers breathe again.
France is saved!
(1) Pour les vaincre, Messieurs, il faut de l'audace, encore de l'audace, toujours de l'audace et la France est sauvée.’
Posts
Goodness, what a brilliantly devious plan. Penalize the minuscule percentage of the population and/or tourists that are likely to indulge in a pricey amusement park destination. Because of course, the economy lends itself well to such indulgences for the middle-classes.
ReplyDeleteADoC, do you know the British TV series Blackadder?
ReplyDeleteFillon reminds me of Baldrick, the servant who had always both a turnip and a cunning plan.
The tax man commeth to Disneyland? You'll be telling me next that Mickey and Donald have been drafted and are off the fight a war that nobody understands in the Middle East.
ReplyDeleteSuits me fine as a plan. I don't go to theme parks, don't buy fizzy pop and hardly ever buy strong liquor.
ReplyDeleteNotice he left out wine.
Bravo Fillon!
But I was surprised to learn that the capital gains on second homes or rental accommodation was the same, up until now, as applied on your main residence. That is, after 20 years' ownership, no tax. The UK taxes the capital gain on the sale second homes and rental properties like any other capital gain, has done for ages. Glad to see France catching up.
ReplyDeleteSteve, how come you're always first with the news....
ReplyDeleteSarah, well, he can't touch the vignerons, can he?
Mark, while the principal residence is exempt, the rule for secondary residences was no abatement for five years, then ten per cent per year so it was tax free in fifteen years.
Financial advisors were pushing this as an option for people's retirement funds....they got a rental income for fiteen years then rolloed over the then tax free sale proceeds into their general accounts.
It was preferable to the previous system which gave a smaller annual abatement from the date of purchase.
I know a number of (French) friends who aren't going to be very happy with this and it does smack of retrospective legislation...just as did the rule change on self renovated properties a few years ago.
Particularly since it appears that the Cope niche fiscale has been left untouched in respect of company capital gains.
What a waste of time. Do you remember when they reduced certain restaurant items from 19.6 to 5.5% a couple of years ago? Not one thing went down in price... the owners just kept the extra income. It was supposed to generate increased eating out by lowering prices! When I'm in charge, this will all change :)
ReplyDeleteMais Mme Fly, fear thee not no more, cos I av découverte zerr iz
ReplyDeletea bold new plan afoot to come to zerr rescue of dear, strong Asterix baby et his enduring yankee amis…Mickeee l’Moose, and I av to zay, ee smells parfaitement délicieux.
Mais pas of brandy, non, non, non !
D’artaganan may long be mort, but before ee finally sheathed izz sword, zo to speak, it would appear ee poked it around zum pretty young mademoiselle from izz local parfumerie shop for une petite bit, and spawned a whole new line of petite eau de toilette’s. Vous comprend, wee ?
Zo…you zee izz naughty little legacy still lives on to ziss day, and err nom is…’Dah Dah Dahhh’… Mme Liliane Bettencourt Esq – Parfum de scandal Heiress to la Empire L'Oreal !
Zerr frogs on zerr street are already calling err and err band of merry billionaires The New Tax Musketeers - ” 'Les Nouvelles Mousquetaires Fiscale'", now zat she azz been zeen and errd riding throughout France, urging all err rich, under taxed and overly Euro’d friends to pay zerr poor little taxman froggy’s, much, much more than zay izz wanting from zemm all, (!) (?!!), zo errr and err fellow Mousquetaires can elp get lerr nation de Frogs, back on zare poor petits green legs once again.
France izz saved zen, its citizens, fictional hero’s and heroines will survive to swill ‘plus cognac’ for yet anuzzerr day, mais ziss time, zay will all wake up reeking of L’Oreal instead of zare nasty, smelly, overpriced brandy.
Haw Hee Haw Hee Haw.
Donc Vivre la France! et Vivre Les Mousquetaires Fiscale !! 'Hoowayyyy ! Hoowahhh !, Hoowayyyy ! Hoowahhh !!'
P.S. – I gotta say, that when I first had this read to me in my little padded cell ere yeasterday, I laughed out loud, a lot. If it wasn’t for this infernal straight jacket, I would have saluted Mme Bettencourt for her audaciously dashing audacity in coming up with such a steal of a cunning plan, to square away all the long overdue Euros she has already been alleged to have evaded paying back to the French State, somewhile earlier. I mean, if you’re going to relent and thus try to appease yourself for your alleged tax sins to the keeper of the purse of the country you so passionately care about – then this is the way to do it, this is the way to suck up in style. A masterstroke of guile, popular publicity and brand promotion for all your fellow tax conscious share holders. True ‘savoir-faire’. I just wish I’d put my whole plate of beans here, in L’Oreal shares last week. They would have more than paid back in dividends by now, for my brief pangs of hunger.
C’est la vie…
(Désolé pour le poids brut de ce commentaire, mais je crains que vous avez commencé à Mme Fly !!)
Craig, the sooner you take power the better...
ReplyDeleteI remember the restaurant TVA scam all too well...and it's still there...untouched!
Such is the influence of the 'limonadiers'.
I did see a joking proposal by someone on 'Survive France' to retake the old English possessions in France...Anjou, Maine, Aquitaine...not forgetting Calais.
Are you up for it?
Bish Bosh Bash, I might have guessed that your interest in genealogy would have come up with the goods!
ReplyDeleteYes, I was laughing in my padded cell as well...considering she made such a killing on the 'bouclier fiscal' last time round...I think some 40 million...her patriotic gesture won't be costing her much.
She may be gaga...as her daughter stoutly maintained while trying to get her hands on the lolly...but
She's Worth It!
Have you seen the new Twitter site
'Invente Tes Taxes'?
It has wonderful suggestions from people who can clearly outdo the French government in irrelevant lunacy...
Mad as a box of frogs...
Ha Ha Ha! Thanks for making me chirp out loud Fly!! Re: Invente Tes Taxes - No I'm not. And probably because I'm not a Tweeter. Guess I'll have to finally, finally, capitulate now then, stop chirping for a bit and start Twittering with all you other Tweets.
ReplyDeleteIs Tweeting tax deductible BTW?
Gosh...I jolly well hope not. Sacre Bleu!
Bish Bosh Bash, no, I don't Tweet either...something called Croak would be more appropriate in my case...but Guy sent me a link to it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it..I know I did.
I'll meet you in Calais next Tuesday and we'll take it all back. I'l come armed with my i-Phone... it's all we'll need.
ReplyDeleteCraig, that...and Boris.
ReplyDeleteSo it looks as if our wine will cost us a bit more this year but it will probably still be cheaper than in the UK.
ReplyDeletecheshire wife, wine is untouched...mark you, the amount of sugar some vignerons use to get rid of acidity their wine should qualify as pop.
ReplyDelete