To fill the boxes, the communal leaders do not lack originality, especially when it comes to tax businesses and shops. Advertising, brand, computer, power, nothing escapes the inexhaustible imagination taxatoire of Commons. However, the myriad of taxes not only hinders the economic development of businesses in Brussels, but worse, pushes into exile elsewhere to escape the tax burden on Brussels their results and investment capabilities.
The difference between the tax Zaventem and Evere, for example, is about 70%. However, striking so heavily businesses, we penalize the economy and therefore creating jobs. In one region, with about 21% unemployment, this "hard" on companies goes against common sense.
"The economy is also the employment , asserts Willocx Olivier, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Brussels.
"We can not generate the job without a thriving economy. There is no recovery through a subsidized economy. "
The Government of the Brussels Region recognizes the problem: "
taxation differs from both by its high level and secondly by its diversity and regulatory instability" recognizes the minister-president, Charles Piqué .
"Taxation is indeed in the Brussels region, largely communal spring. While emphasizing communal responsibility, Charles Picqué not charging for all their leaders
"It is difficult to ask significant efforts to municipalities, for example by suggesting to forgo some tax revenue. A possible decline in the tax burden on businesses will have to be recovered elsewhere. Hence the need for the region itself consents to the effort to compensate for the loss of revenue due to the elimination of certain taxes. " Clearly, the region will "buy" the shortfall of Commons. By funding the loss of tax revenue, helping the region to maintain a common balance. Without having to defer the tax on other people!
Two taxes "stupid"
Specifically, the region creates a compensation fund for a fiscal budget of 15 million euros (605 million francs). Half of this sum will fund the shortfall of Commons would agree to delete two specific charges: that on computers and that the driving force.
"Local taxation which weighs su r businesses will be reduced by 10% through this" , said Charles Piqué.
"The government has opted taxes which represent a financial burden and significant administrative, and have effectively put a brake on economic dynamism and employment. " Ten of the nineteen communes of Brussels possess a tax on computers, which range from 6.20 to 39 euros per workstation. It is already off the list of municipalities and Evere Uccle coming recently to remove them. Others will no doubt still. "
It is a tax regressive," said Florence Kerchove, Director of Agoria, the federation of the technology industry.
"Our companies are particularly affected by this tax. At the die development computer, it is an absurdity. " Same story with the Chamber of Commerce.
"This tax is incomprehensible e " said Olivier Willocx.
"While other countries like the Netherlands, we encourage computerization, here, by contrast, is the tax. When we have to explain to a foreign company that their computers will be taxed, they look at us with eyes wide open like saucers. It is all the more incomprehensible that behind every computer there is an employee. So what is tax actually is the number of people employed. " tax on motive force, which fluctuates between 12.5 and 18.6 eur
bones per kilowatt, is it in eight communes of Brussels.
"It is also absurd" says Olivier Willocx.
"This fee includes everything revolves by a motor. Including all the appliances like the vacuum cleaner, coffee machine, the part of the garage door. To the fan for cooling the microprocessor of the computer! Good luck finding the number of watts. In practice, it is completely stupid. " The ball is now in the camp of Commons. Those who play the game by removing one of the two taxes, or better, both, will be reimbursed 100% by the Region.
"If they still do not delete these two taxes at this time we really go up to the plate" warns Agoria.
Snacking municipal autonomy
The other half of the budget (7.5 million) will be used to reward municipalities engaging way of rationalizing taxes. An additional incentive in the Region. "
collaboration with the municipalities will be essential" said Charles Piqué. "
The success of a plan to simplify and stabilize or even decline, the local tax burden is illusory if the municipalities are not aware themselves of the importance of their role in the matter. Thanks to this portion of the fund, municipalities will undertake to submit any new tax or tax increase that impact on economic development to a monitoring committee. They will also commit to participate in a working group to harmonize local taxation. " The measure is particularly welcomed Oliver Willocx sees an original device developed by the Region to interfere in the politics of taxes of Commons.
"It's very clever" , smiles the director of the Chamber of Commerce.
"The Region has finally understood, after 18 years of existence, it was time to reduce its tax. Last year, 42% of companies in Brussels were lost, against 36% in Flanders. A whole series of factors explaining this situation, such as wages, high rents in the capital. But high taxes (including the one on the desks) also contribute to losses. How do you expect a company in difficulty committing more staff? Brussels is now in direct competition with the periphery. Companies are created in Brussels for the leave when they want to thrive and expand. They pay for 500 m2 of office space in the periphery, the same price as a rental of 250 m2 in Brussels. The municipalities would do well to reflect on their management. Today some localities at all costs prevent the installation of some companies pretexts crazy just to talk about them. This is the premium troublemaker. Companies which, however, hire staff and pay taxes in Brussels " .