Lucerne decides on lower taxes for companies and families
Published: Saturday, Aug 17th 2024, 09:50
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In the canton of Lucerne, the equity tax for companies is to be reduced to 0.01 per thousand. Tax relief is also to be provided for people with low incomes and families. Voters will decide on September 22 whether the package will be implemented.
The cantonal government had presented the cantonal parliament with a proposal that would have led to a shortfall in revenue of CHF 57 million for the canton and CHF 75 million for the municipalities from 2028, despite the expected additional revenue from the OECD minimum taxation. Parliament intervened, primarily out of consideration for the municipalities, and the shortfall in revenue is now CHF 56 million (canton) and CHF 67 million (municipalities).
One pillar of the tax law revision is the de facto abolition of the equity tax for companies. This will be gradually reduced from 0.5 per thousand to a minimum of 0.01 per thousand by 2028. This is intended to prevent the migration of highly capitalized companies.
Degressive social deduction
Thanks to a new degressive social deduction, people with low incomes and families who can claim higher deductions are also to be relieved. People who receive money from pension benefits will also pay less tax.
For the conservative majority of the Cantonal Council, the tax law revision is necessary to ensure that Lucerne does not fall behind in the tax competition. They also defended it as balanced.
The SP and the Greens rejected the bill. Instead of higher childcare deductions, from which parents with low incomes would not benefit, they would have preferred higher child allowances. They also felt that the reduction in capital tax placed too much focus on large and international companies.
©Keystone/SDA
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