Three papers discuss various economic issues regarding the Government\’s decision to enact a series of economic measures including raising VAT and income
tax, raising taxes on gasoline, alcohol and cigarettes, imposing surtax on high income earners and an across-the-board budget cut at Government ministries:
Yediot Aharonot notes that "The PowerPoint presentation that was distributed at yesterday\’s Cabinet is adorned by the slogan: \’The middle class and weaker groups are left with more money in [their] pockets!\’ An ideology of \’money in the pocket\’ is taking a central position in the country\’s economic discourse." The author believes that "The ideology of \’money in the pocket\’ is dangerous and degenerative. From time to time, even the most successful government, from the Right or from the Left, has no choice other than to implement restraining budgetary measures."
Ma\’ariv suggests that the economic edicts approved yesterday "will take a toll on your health. The cut in the health budget is part of the Finance Ministry\’s ideology to encourage strong and expensive private medicine, alongside poor and minimalistic public medicine."
Yisrael Hayom argues that "It would have been good if the Ministry of Finance had imposed the taxes on those who do not intend to pay them. It is still possible to do so for 2013." The paper suggests imposing VAT on tourists, a one-time levy of NIS 700 million on the banking system, and the imposition of a tax on the passive income of Israelis abroad. The author asserts: "Lowering the deficit is crucial and, in my opinion, we are paying a relatively reasonable price compared to what we are liable to pay if we postpone dealing with the problem."
The Jerusalem Post discusses the visit of US presidential candidate Mitt Romney, and states: “Actions often speak louder than words. We can only embrace Romney and thank him for this important visit while urging Obama to follow suit. Both men are friends of Israel; we believe their friendship will endure, irrespective of who wins the presidential race. It is in both their interest and ours.”
Haaretz protests the continued commercialization of Israel’s public beaches, and notes that “despite the efforts of social activists and environmental organizations to maintain the seaside as a resource open to the public, the beaches\’ commercialization is continuing and various development plans threaten to gnaw and erode the sandy areas.” The editor asserts that “The main responsibility for preserving the beaches as a public resource lies with the local authorities, which must restrict construction and development plans and ensure that commercial bodies do not breach their contracts,” and adds: “Responsibility lies with the Interior Ministry, which issues permits for charging entry fees to the beaches, for supervising this activity.”
[Sever Plocker, Dr. Yehuda Ullmann and Shalom Maoz wrote today’s articles in Yediot Aharonot, Ma\’ariv and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]