Should TDs/Politicians/MPs be taxed 90% on Pensions and other benefits

fliball123

Hi all I have an interesting idea I would like to get accross. Surely the newly retiring (even do they aint 68) MPS and members of the dail and basically all politicians and even the elitist top level civil servants who are retiring before the age of 68. Should their penions and contributions that they get be taxed at 90% like the bankers where. I believe any top level civil servant or poliitician who has retired after 2002 (the start of the bubble clusterfcuk) should be taxed at 90% until they hit retirement age. I would like to see a party come out and go for that one...As they say whats good for the bankers is good for the politicians.

DoesNotCompute

A good idea, but I don't see any political party backing it, as it wouldn't be in their own interests.

fliball123

DoesNotCompute wrote: »

A good idea, but I don't see any political party backing it, as it wouldn't be in their own interests.

Well at least the media are saying its an outrage that the majority of these guys are walking away with their pensions and at least 1/4 of million in a payout... I mean I find it hard to swallow that they can just walk away with this and if the bankers can be railed in why not these jokers?

I would like to see a push from the media on these issues

ei.sdraob

No, their pensions and wages should be set to the average industrial wage at most and grow/shrink with inflation and unemployment rate.

That will make politicians care a little more about the people they are meant to represent. None of this stepping down after making a mess and getting a nice golden parachute.

fliball123

ei.sdraob wrote: »

No, their pensions and wages should be set to the average industrial wage at most and grow/shrink with inflation and unemployment rate.

That will make politicians care a little more about the people they are meant to represent. None of this stepping down after making a mess and getting a nice golden parachute.

True but it not be better that they get taxed 90% that way it gets over the whole legal issue and then back date it to any TD/Politician or top level civil servant who has retired in the last 8 years ala the bankers...This would mean they get very little. Also how constituational is it that these guys get their payments without a proper investigation into what happened. If its proven that biffo new the sh1t state of the banks before he gave the garentee and nama is he not committing some crime by shaging all this debt on the public?

ei.sdraob

fliball123 wrote: »

True but it not be better that they get taxed 90% that way it gets over the whole legal issue and then back date it to any TD/Politician or top level civil servant who has retired in the last 8 years ala the bankers...This would mean they get very little. Also how constituational is it that these guys get their payments without a proper investigation into what happened. If its proven that biffo new the sh1t state of the banks before he gave the garentee and nama is he not committing some crime by shaging all this debt on the public?

Do you want to punish them for the sake of punishing them? or do you want to create incentive to actually do their job??
However little I like some politicians dont forget that Turkeys dont vote for xmas Tho it more people bringup the issue of bonuses to politicians when they come around looking for votes over next few months, maybe they listen.

Having wages and pensions linked to some measure (or combination) of the growth/decline of the economy is what required, in the private sector companies grow and shrink according to the state of the economy already.

Tipp Man

90% tax is an obscene amount for anybody - banker, TD whoever, and should really not be something we should ever strive for. Next they'll be trying to tax everybody earning over 100k 90%, where does it stop?

Why not try to bring about reform of the public sector and TD pension mess where they get a fair level of reinbursement for the work they have done. This is then taxed in the normal way as per the rest of the population

90% tax is a great tabloid headline but it's populist bulls##t and does nothing to address the underlying issue

fliball123

Tipp Man wrote: »

90% tax is an obscene amount for anybody - banker, TD whoever, and should really not be something we should ever strive for. Next they'll be trying to tax everybody earning over 100k 90%, where does it stop?

Why not try to bring about reform of the public sector and TD pension mess where they get a fair level of reinbursement for the work they have done. This is then taxed in the normal way as per the rest of the population

90% tax is a great tabloid headline but it's populist bulls##t and does nothing to address the underlying issue

I think the fact that they get 10% of their payoff and 10% of their pensions up until their retirement age of 68 is very generous considering the sh1tmire they have left us in and as I say like the banker situation it should be a one off...

Its an absolute disgrace that Hary Marny leaves with 1/4 of a million and on nearly 1/2 her wage that she was getting as a pension..The woman has done absolutely nothing for the health in this country.

My point being that under the same criteria that the bankers got their bonuses taken away so should the politicians golden hand shake and penions

fliball123

ei.sdraob wrote: »

Do you want to punish them for the sake of punishing them? or do you want to create incentive to actually do their job??
However little I like some politicians dont forget that Turkeys dont vote for xmas Tho it more people bringup the issue of bonuses to politicians when they come around looking for votes over next few months, maybe they listen.

Having wages and pensions linked to some measure (or combination) of the growth/decline of the economy is what required, in the private sector companies grow and shrink according to the state of the economy already.

No but I dont want to reward them with 1/4 of a million pay offs for fcuking up the country

flutered

fliball123 wrote: »

No but I dont want to reward them with 1/4 of a million pay offs for fcuking up the country

my sentiments entirely.

ILA

TDs should only receive the average industrial wage. This is the official policy of both Sinn Fein and the Socialist Party.

fliball123

ILA wrote: »

TDs should only receive the average industrial wage. This is the official policy of both Sinn Fein and the Socialist Party.

I think that maybe overboard..Look being a TD or whatever is a hard job I would imagine ?? could be wrong ...they are overpaid and overpensioned...having said that there needs to be an incentive to get good people in but not at the price we are paying a good 25% cut would suffice, as for pensions and payoffs they should be based on value given to country...For exmple if GDP is up or if the health care is in a better state etc...But leaving the country bankrupt and then expecting to get these handouts is an absolute farse

Tipp Man

fliball123 wrote: »

I think the fact that they get 10% of their payoff and 10% of their pensions up until their retirement age of 68 is very generous considering the sh1tmire they have left us in and as I say like the banker situation it should be a one off...

Its an absolute disgrace that Hary Marny leaves with 1/4 of a million and on nearly 1/2 her wage that she was getting as a pension..The woman has done absolutely nothing for the health in this country.

My point being that under the same criteria that the bankers got their bonuses taken away so should the politicians golden hand shake and penions

She has been a TD for 30 years.

You take any civil servant who has been on high wages for 30 years and i think you'll find they will get just as much as Harney on retirement.

How much did that Patrick Neary (ex financial regulator) get?? Off the top of me head it was a 630,000 golden handshake and 150,000 annual pension. That's even worse then Harney as he didn't have to face the people every few years to justify his actions

The whole thing is a mess which needs to be reformed - but lets get actual reform and not populist bull

fliball123

Tipp Man wrote: »

She has been a TD for 30 years.

You take any civil servant who has been on high wages for 30 years and i think you'll find they will get just as much as Harney on retirement.

How much did that Patrick Neary (ex financial regulator) get?? Off the top of me head it was a 630,000 golden handshake and 150,000 annual pension. That's even worse then Harney as he didn't have to face the people every few years to justify his actions

The whole thing is a mess which needs to be reformed - but lets get actual reform and not populist bull

Hang on reform will punish any future TD minister etc who have yet to impact the country...Why not back date it as I have suggested so that those gobsh1tes that fcuked the place over do not get this reward.

Look I aint saying no pension..All I am saying is give it but at 90% tax until they reach the retirement age of 68 which is when the rest of us lesser mortals are allowed retire.

Also any golden handshake that is not pension related should be withheld..I have outlined that this should be throughout the top level of the civil service

Also all bonuses paid out to regulators/quangors/bankers over the last number of years should be looked at as well

Tipp Man

Why can't reform include those who are currently claiming public sector pensions.

Reform the whole lot - current claimants - future claimaints - the works


IMO a 90% tax should never ever be considered in a country - I can't think of any situation where i could justify it

ardmacha

Even if they were taxed at 99%, the gross amount would still be the same. You'd still have people coming on here ranting about how much was paid out in pensions and ignoring the taxation, just as they ignore the pension levy.

RichardAnd

ardmacha wrote: »

Even if they were taxed at 99%, the gross amount would still be the same. You'd still have people coming on here ranting about how much was paid out in pensions and ignoring the taxation, just as they ignore the pension levy.

The way things work here, if you took away every thing Brian cowen owned and then had him shot, you would still get threads started ranting about the cost of the bullet.

fliball123

Tipp Man wrote: »

Why can't reform include those who are currently claiming public sector pensions.

Reform the whole lot - current claimants - future claimaints - the works


IMO a 90% tax should never ever be considered in a country - I can't think of any situation where i could justify it

Do you not think it would of been justified for the bankers bonuses?

fliball123

lets not drag this off I aint saying going forward I am saying a once off like bankers bonuses...and I am not getting into the ps thing ardmacha again...

Tipp Man

fliball123 wrote: »

Do you not think it would of been justified for the bankers bonuses?

from what i know of the bankers bonus situation then no they shouldn't have a 90% tax

Their division made profits which based on thier contracts entitled them to a certain level of bonus. Now either the banks are broke and can't pay the bonus or they are solvent and should pay them. Either way the tax paid on them should be the same as anybody else in the country

Just as an aside - i am completly against the Pubic sector being taxed differently to the private i.e the pension levy. If I was in government I would stop this at the next budget - but I would also stop the defined benefit pension with immediate effect as well

IMO all workers - private or public - should have the same tax deductions for the same levels of pay. If there is a problem with the cost of public pay - taxing it isn't the answer (it doesn't add to the pot anyway) - the answer is to reform the pay and/or the number of employees

fliball123

Tipp Man wrote: »

from what i know of the bankers bonus situation then no they shouldn't have a 90% tax

Their division made profits which based on thier contracts entitled them to a certain level of bonus. Now either the banks are broke and can't pay the bonus or they are solvent and should pay them. Either way the tax paid on them should be the same as anybody else in the country

Just as an aside - i am completly against the Pubic sector being taxed differently to the private i.e the pension levy. If I was in government I would stop this at the next budget - but I would also stop the defined benefit pension with immediate effect as well

IMO all workers - private or public - should have the same tax deductions for the same levels of pay. If there is a problem with the cost of public pay - taxing it isn't the answer (it doesn't add to the pot anyway) - the answer is to reform the pay and/or the number of employees

Well then if you take the pension levy away all pension contributions made to the public sector penions from other non P.s workers should be stopped aswell, especially at a time when there are very few in the private sector who can afford their own pension not to mention subsidising 300k+ for theirs. The pension levy is a contribution to a defined benefit, and the private sector are now getting hit with tax on BIK so its fair that people getting the lavish penions in the ps should be taxed on it. If anything it should be taxed more. Its criminal the amounts of money the top level in the p.s get before 68. Anyone in the p.s claiming a pension before 68 should be paying tax at 90% and this gets around the loophole of not brakeing the law

So even do the banks had no money you think that their bonuses should be paid...so thats coming out of my back pocket......why should I pay this?? what benefit has it been to me and simularly why should the country pay the MPs/Politicians pensions and lumpsums when its broke?

As I say with the bankers and politicians we are in an unpresedented time of being broke...The gov done the right thing with the bankers ...now they need to step up and do it to themselves