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Visitors to the Düsseldorf yacht fair »Boot« (archive photo)
Photo: Bernd Thissen / dpa
In an open letter to the federal government, more than a hundred artists and intellectuals are demanding higher taxes for the wealthy.
They were dismayed that Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) had strictly refused a property levy to finance the billions in costs in the fight against the corona pandemic, they write in the letter published online, about which the
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taz
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reported.
“In
our opinion, it is high time the federal government made the wealthy accountable instead of submitting to the debt brake and cutting public and social spending.
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Under no circumstances should low-wage earners suffer from the pressure to save in the coming years.
Merkel's rejection of a property levy to finance the costs of the corona pandemic "dismayed us," the letter said.
The 45 richest households in Germany are owned by more than the poorer half of the population.
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The crisis exacerbates the social divide
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Specifically, the initiators propose a one-off property tax to cover corona costs and the introduction of a property tax.
In addition, inheritances and gifts should be taxed more effectively and the top tax rate should be raised.
Internationally, a minimum tax rate should be introduced for multinational corporations.
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The crisis exacerbated the social divide and threatens to accelerate the wear of the social infrastructure
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, said the chief executive of the Joint General Association, Ulrich Schneider, the Berlin
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Tageszeitung
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.
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It would be irresponsible not to use the wealth of our society now for social cohesion.
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The letter was signed by singer Annette Humpe, actress Maren Kroymann and writer Christoph Hein, among others.
The poverty researcher Christoph Butterwegge, Ulrich Schneider from the Paritätischer Gesamtverband and the journalist Marina Weisband also signed - as did organizations such as Attac, Oxfam and local groups from Fridays for Future.
hej / dpa