Swiss Solutions

An impressive solution to poverty and entitlements from the Swiss was discussed in the New York Times column, It's the Economy.  Pushing people up, out of poverty, without incentivizing staying out of work makes a lot of sense, and I had no idea that this concept has been tried out in the US already, with positive results.  Not bad Swiss... not bad at all.

Ultrawealthy New Yorkers Under de Blasio

Image: seniorsforademocraticsociety.wordpress.com

The New York Times column, Common Sense, featured a piece on our new mayor, Bill de Blasio's plan to tax the rich to give to the poor, but brings up the ultrawealthy, who currently (under Bloomberg) have been lured to NYC by generous tax incentives and simply "park" their assets in the city.  Since the tax law says that those who spend more than half their year in NYC (or 183 days) have to pay city income tax, there are many who have offices (companies even) and apartments in the city, but due to their other homes (on Long Island, in Connecticut, in LA, in Aspen), can make sure not to be living in  the city more than 182 days.  This seems like a significant place of wealth that should be taxed to provide services for the rest of the city that supports that lifestyle.

Poverty Levels in America

Photo: Brenda Ann Kenneally, The New Yorker

 

The New York Times had a VERY interesting look at the poverty levels in America, misconceptions about those statistics, and what levels of support should be given to that very large sector of our population. 

Military Spending as a Percentage of GDP

Picture: PR Watch

The charts on page 6 of this article from the Council on Foreign Relations (Walker, Dinah. Trends in US Military Spending. Council on Foreign Relations, 2013; reproduced below) discuss military spending as a percentage of GDP for the last 80 years.  They look closer at the time after WWII and then even closer at the time after the Cold-War.  What I find most interesting is that it is so much lower than what I thought it would be.  And relative to how much was spent (percentage wise) in the 1940s, it is really incomparable.  I’m curious what those dollar figures are.

From Trends in US Military Spending  

Chart generated on WorldBank.org

But, looking at the data from the interactive World Bank site, I can see that relative to other countries, the US spending is higher than most.  For example, France spends 2.3% GDP on their military.  War torn countries (or their neighbors), including Saudi Arabia (in blue, labeled incorrectly as a second France), South Sudan, Oman, spend the most, around 8% to 10%. But most countries spend below 3% GDP on defense.   Our friend Russia spends almost the same amount (4.5%) as the US, which is not too surprising given our continued Coolish-War with them. 

New York City Property Taxes Inequitable

NYDailyNews.com

The Daily News featured a recent investigation on NYC Property Taxes across the five boroughs.  It's no big surprise, but this shows that the system for assessing appropriate property taxes is way off base, favoring the rich, and overtaxing the poor.

To Work or Not To Work

Image: The Cagle Post

Does our current tax system incentivize single earner households?  This op-ed piece in the New York Times discusses the subsidies or tax breaks that may make not working, work.

Australia's Toxic Tax Talk

PolitiFact Australia

I think that the US doesn't talk enough about climate change, but in Australia the conversation is ruining people's political careers. The Guardian discusses a long fight between leaders regarding a carbon tax - some are calling it the "Toxic Tax."