The new Finnish government

In breve in italiano: il nuovo governo finlandese di centro destra ha promesso interessanti novita', e speriamo che mantenga le promesse: riduzione dell'IVA sui beni di prima necessita' al 12% (tanto, lo so, ma tuttora si e' al 17%!!!), riduzione delle tasse di successione (o piuttosto, aumento della soglia di esenzione) e donazione. A quando la riduzione o abolizione della famigerata tassa sull'auto?

The new Finnish goverment is (almost) born: it will be formed by the winning Centre Party, the National Coalition (right wingers) and two smaller parties, the Greens and the Swedish People's Party, in order to ensure a stable majority (vero, Prodi?).

According to Yle, here are some of the most important actions:

Income and Food Taxes Decrease; Alcohol Tax Rises. The government is planning to reduce income tax by 1.1 billion euros over the next four years. It also plans cuts worth 280 million euros in inheritance, gift, dividend and value-added taxes.

The plan sounds awfully good to be true: raises alcohol taxes (Estonia, we're) coming and lowers VAT on food from a obscene human-rights offending value of 17% to a more potable (italians will sure understand my free translations. For foreigners: more normal) value of 12%. Still far from 4% in Italy but better than nothing. Let's only hope that big distribution chains will not decide to keep the saved VAT for themselves...

Nicely enough, and the hand of the National Party is clearly seen here, inheritance and gifts taxes will be lowered, according to the program (or more likely, the non-taxable treshold will be raised). Is this the first step towards the final cancellation of such an unfair tax? When will they lower the AUTOVERO, tax on the car purchase, if ever?

Let's see if the government will keep the promises.