Value for money
April is the cruelest month, breeding high tax rates of 19%, 30% and 40%, mixing memories of present and past tax returns with the desire for better tax benefits.
Standard tax-related complaint (with standard T.S. Eliot reference to April) aside, every citizen has to pay taxes. We live in a state that provides a number of services that have to be paid for. If we treat taxes as the price tag for those services, paying taxes should be nothing other than a fair business exchange. According to such reasoning, the more we pay, the higher quality of service we can expect, right? That's how it looks in everyday business deals but not, unfortunately, when it comes to dealing with the state.
So where does taxpayers' money go? To the health-care system? Definitely not! It has been public knowledge for years that if you wanted decent treatment you went to a private doctor. The health-care reform launched last year didn't change a thing for the better. While the reform promised better wages in proportion to experience and results, doctors still get just an allowance. What else would you call a pre-tax monthly salary of zl. 1,400?
In that case, taxpayers' money must benefit the police force. Not according to recent crime data. Between 1996 and 1997, the number of crimes increased by 10.5%, in 1998 by 8.1%, and last year by 4.5%. Citizens, who in all public opinion surveys mention public security as the matter of the greatest concern, have to resort to self-help methods. This means closed enclaves with security guards for those who can afford it, and, for less affluent neighborhoods, "civic" patrols, self-defense courses, and pepper spray.
Maybe our money goes to education then? If so, why do teachers leave public education in droves? The teaching profession is still among the lowest paid with an average monthly salary of zl. 1,500 before taxes. As in health care, choosing a private school is the only guarantee of a good education. No wonder Poland is becoming a nation of illiterates. The number of citizens with a university degree 8.2% of the population is not impressive considering our ambition to join the European Union and build a competitive economy.
It looks like the state is offering its citizens a really bad deal on public services in addition to being a monopolist. Perhaps free-market principles should be extended further.
If we decide our tailor doesn't provide good value for money, we take advantage of the principle of competition and look for another one. How about increasing competition between countries and the services they offer their citizens?
Maybe one day countries will place commercials on MTV, shouting: "Come live with us! Low taxes, high quality of life!" At first glance the idea might seem crazy, but who knows? We at the WBJ would love to see it.
