If we follow New Zealand's tax reform and structure...oh hey, would you look at that, they have an income (payroll) tax!! Property taxes, business taxes...THEN added in VAT...if we go straight into VAT we will be the ONLY country out there that implements it without implementing an income tax FIRST. Wonder what the 'VAT Kiwi experts' had to say about THAT ripple in their overall assessment.

Easier just to hit the poor folk with heavier taxes than try to clean up and collect what is owed and cut spending. Real Property Taxes are just a drop in the bucket as to what is truly owed in taxes in this country that is being 'overlooked'...and overlooked quite heavily due to political affiliations and cronyism. Will make a LOT of enemies if you force your 'pals' to pay those taxes they've ignored for the past 20-30 years. And on that note, man, I've already budgeted how I am going to spend this years real property tax on something other than paying it to the govt!! Gonna be sweet!!

By the time this little money scheme plays out, the global price of limes will have recovered and as is usually the case, it will be more cost effective to buy limes in from abroad. What's going to happen...3-4 years down the road, when the lime trees have stabilized and are bearing salable fruit, they will be too expensive, and the government will then whack the importers with protective tariffs and we will be forced to pay the high prices of local limes instead of the cheaper imports...mark my words...

Agree with all the comments...all we are hearing is tax tax tax, debt debt debt...but not the first word on concrete plans and procedures to cut spending. Let's go ahead with a payroll tax...it doesn't have to be high for the minimum wage earners, and can get progressively higher for those that earn more and more...I have no problem whatsoever with the higher earners paying a higher tax. Even with bracketed rates, the implementation of this using the current NIB model would be so easy, almost a no brainer. VAT is NOT the way to go!!

They have already said point blank that they don't want to disclose what is legally required of them to dispose through the Public Disclosure Act is it, that requires all the politicians to disclose their earnings and incomes and debts? When the whole Lightbourn debacle hit the fan, so many of those PLP politicians were up in arms about the thought of having to disclose whether they owe property taxes, quoting privacy concerns...well, guess what, you signed up to be an MP or a Senator, and in so doing, you agreed to that Public Disclosure. Now...add FOIA into the mix...HA! We are screwed. Ain't never going to work, not in my lifetime...and if that is critical to make VAT effective, you may as well just shelve VAT right here and now.

Would you all shut up already, you are just making each other looks like bigger idiots than you already are...on both sides of the fence!!

Need someone to come up with an effective lead repellant!!

Just make sure through your lawyers that your property is zoned properly for commercial property, not just residential!!

You clearly did not bribe the right official!! ;-)

Actually...more like the people who have some funds see the writing on the wall with VAT and the impact it will have on vehicle prices...if the bank is offering a great rate, and you can afford the payments, NOW is the time to lock in the deal and buy that car...a few months down the road, the bank deal may not be there and the cost of the car will have shot up and may be out of reach. Don't exactly need to replace one of my vehicles at the moment, but seriously considering it all things factored in...keep my current car another year or two an I'll likely be cussing and grumbling because I'll be struggling with higher prices and maybe higher interest rates from the bank.