50% tax bracket rejected; Internet could become tax deductible

The 50% rate proposal was introduced by Self-Defense and although some Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) politicians also favor the idea, the party's deputies voted it down in the Commission yesterday. The Commission also rejected another Self-Defense proposal, to increase the annual tax exemption from zł.2,790 to almost zł.10,000. According to the Finance Ministry, this proposal would have cost the budget a staggering zł.21 billion. Meanwhile, the Commission approved the new tax break, meant to offset the higher cost of Internet connections associated with the need to place a 22% VAT tax on them, required by the EU. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 25) T.J.