Good morning and welcome to this morning’s lowdown.
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EU considers post-Brexit tax increase
The European Union has proposed a new EU-wide VAT which will be deducted from national VAT and paid directly to the EU, as it looks to fill the Brexit shaped hole in its budget.
The tax proposal is among a number of ideas put forward in a new report commissioned by the EU. According to the Telegraph, Brexit is a key factor driving the proposed reforms.
Jean Arthuis, chairman of the European Parliament’s budgetary committee, said that the reforms would not lead to higher taxes: “If there is a new Europe-wide tax, in each member state the national authorities will reduce the amount to be paid at the national level.”
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Former HMRC chief takes new role
HMRC’s former chief executive Lin Homer has chosen her new role after leaving the government department last year – in an unpaid position at Suffolk County council, Civil Service world reports.
Homer, who received a Damehood as she departed the Revenue, returns to the local authority where she was once chief executive. Homer had her clearance approved by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments late last year.
The ACOBA revealed that HMRC gave its standard response to these appointments: “For two years from her last day in service, she should not become personally involved in lobbying the UK government on behalf of Suffolk County Council”. Homer’s post-HMRC position differs from her predecessor, Dave Hartnett, who took an advisory position with Deloitte.
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Businessman uses wheelbarrow of coins to protest tax bill
A US businessman protested his tax $3,000 tax bill by paying it with 300,000 coins delivered to the department in five wheelbarrows.
Explaining his protest, Nick Stafford told the BBC: “It shouldn't matter if you pay $300 per year in income taxes or pay $300,000 per year in income taxes like myself, because the backbone of a free democracy/republic begins with government transparency, period,"
Stafford’s dispute with the department of motor vehicles stemmed from the department not giving him the direct phone number of who to contact in order to register three vehicles and pay the sales tax.
It took the department’s staff seven hours to count the coins.
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