• tb_@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      I doubt people earning over €227,000 a year have any issues paying for rent, why shouldn’t they get taxed more to bring earnings more in line? That way more money can go to support the lower earning demographics.

        • tb_@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          No, that is not how it works.

          There’s a certain cost of living. Housing, food, transport. There’s a certain “floor” you have to earn or you’ll have a miserable time in the world as it is.

          Once you get above that earnings floor wealth suddenly starts to accumulate. You can get a nicer house, a fancier car, go out to eat and vacation more often. Which is all nice and good, people should be able to do such things, but those are secondary luxuries on top of what you need to live.

          So instead of taxing everything, say, 50%, the lower brackets are given some slack with reduced taxes.

            • tb_@lemmy.world
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              4 months ago

              To someone broke; €1000 is invaluable.

              To a millionaire; €1000 is another drop in the bucket.

              The first €1000 is so much more valuable than the 1000th. A flat rate across all earnings isn’t fair to the vast majority of those who can barely, or cannot make ends meet.

              The wealth gap is already growing, if anything millionaires aren’t being taxed enough. Singular persons do not need to have enough wealth to begin a small nation, I thought we left such fiefdoms behind with the middle ages.

    • BaldManGoomba@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Portugal $81,199 eur you pay $29,940 in tax. That makes $52,059 take home pay or $4,338 a month average cost of monthly expenses(not including rent)is $ 2572 leaving $1765 leftover over a month. 3br apartment in city is $1,666. Seems doable without even having a second worker in the house. Especially on the higher end of the tax bracket https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Portugal#:~:text=A family of four estimated,lower than in United States.

      I am more concerned with Portugal average salary of $33k eur and median being $31k that just isn’t doable

      All the progressive tax systems are fine it sounds like your wages/cost of living sucks. That is the true problem.

        • BaldManGoomba@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          Median mean 50% of the country make more or less. So 31k is still rough.

          You said the richer people in the tax bracket was struggling because taxes(at least how I took or understood what you said)

          I can’t argue your lived experience but this is also how it is in America. Everyone who wants a decent job has to be close to a major city or be related to the rich people in the small towns and things are expensive. I commuted 150 miles a day (241 km) just so I could afford rent with 4 other people in my house. I spent 4 hours on commuting so my days were 12 hours it was exhausting.

          Either way it isn’t taxes it is businesses paying poorly, bad production or manufacturing for cost of living necessities, and ownership class being ridiculous. Not sure what your politics are but taxes help the poor with health care, roads, and infrastructure. Also keeps the rich from controlling more.

            • BaldManGoomba@lemmy.world
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              4 months ago

              Average salary is a broken metric always look for median. 31k that is median just plain fucked sure the tax doesn’t help but 31k isn’t a livable salary in the country by my metrics that being said. I am sure a 2 income house hold for a 3br is more accurate of a situation since globally single income households are just not realistic. Even if you made 31k with 0 tax I don’t see how that would be livable still not worth breaking tax system because idk what other welfare you all have but losing free health care would make your country worse off

                • BaldManGoomba@lemmy.world
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                  4 months ago

                  Why we have progressive rates. A flat tax will still make a 31k persons life more miserable in this country the lower tax ranges need to be adjusted. In America if you don’t make enough money we send you money. Almost like a ubi. 100k people won’t be hurt if more money they make is taxed.

                  Paid health care is way worse. I already 1.4% for old people healthcare(I don’t get access to) and I pay around 4.5% weekly to health insurance that I can’t use until I spend $6,000 in healthcare services and still have to pay money to see doctors. In America so many people go without insurance or just die because they can’t get things taken care of.

                  Most articles say Portugal healthcare is better or on par with America’s system for patient outcomes. But what the article don’t mention you have be able to afford to get into the system in America. I haven’t visited a doctor in 15 years.

                  A guaranteed pension is super strong versus a retirement plan that is in the stock market because a crash could wipe out the whole fund.

                  Lastly why isn’t the rich not paying more in salaries and why isn’t money more equitable In Portugal?