S politicians: A gigantic injustice from the Tidö government
This is a debate article. It is the writer who stands for the opinions presented in the text, not Aftonbladet.
Published 2024-04-14 15.00
share-arrowDela
unsaveSpara
expand-left
full screen The government’s investment in the eighth job tax credit costs 11 billion. Abolishing the employee tax would cost 290 million. It would be a small price to pay for a gigantic injustice, write seven members of parliament from S. Photo: Getty
DEBATE. Recently, the declaration forms from the Swedish Tax Agency landed in Swedes’ mailboxes. The form also comes with the preliminary tax notice.
It says this year that high-income earners will have to pay less in tax than before. Another employment tax deduction has given wage earners a reduced tax and pensioners receive a corresponding tax cut. Those who have had high interest costs will now also be reimbursed in the form of interest deductions.
Others have not received a penny in reduced tax. Those who are long-term ill and those who have a disability that means they have been deemed (by the Social Insurance Agency) unable to work full-time in the regular labor market do not receive tax reductions.
The guarantee levels in sickness and activity compensation are far below average salary levels and average pensions.
With the current government’s tax reduction policy, that group today receives higher taxes than others. In practice, they are therefore penally taxed because they cannot work.
The bourgeois parties have done the same before. The previous social democratic government abolished the so-called employee tax. But the Tidö government introduced it again.
This is up to SEK 1,800 per year in higher tax. A quarter of a million Swedes are affected – among them many of those who have the most difficulty getting the economy together in today’s Sweden.
The government’s investment in the eighth job tax deduction costs 11 billion. Abolishing the employee tax would cost 290 million. It would be a small price to pay for a gigantic injustice.
The funkis tax is not the only injustice in the Tidö government’s tax policy. Anyone who can afford to make extensive renovations to their home during 2024 will now receive an increased capital deduction (renovation, extension or extension), from SEK 50,000 to SEK 75,000. The same for those who can afford to pay for Route Services (cleaning, maintenance and laundry).
That investment – more for those who already have – the government is investing one billion kroner. We Social Democrats think that that money could have been used better.
What this year’s tax notice shows is that we now have a government that invests the money on those who already have money and makes sure that they get more for their money.
But the government has no commitment at all to those who have the hardest time financially in the Sweden of the cost crisis: not for people living on sickness or activity benefits, not families with children or single parents, not students.
This is not the Sweden we Social Democrats want. We want Sweden to be a country where those who can work also work, where there is work for people according to their ability and where those who cannot work due to disability or illness are not penally taxed.
Karin Sundin, Member of Parliament (S)
Fredrik Lundh Collection, Member of Parliament (S)
Marcus Wennerström, Member of Parliament (S)
Eva Lindh, Member of Parliament (S)
Ewa Pihl Krabbe, Member of Parliament (S)
Jessica Roden, Member of Parliament (S)
Sanna Backeskog, Member of Parliament (S)
arrow Join the debate and comment on the article – like Aftonbladet Debatt on Facebook.