Trajtenberg: Families pay NIS 4600 in hidden monthly taxes

Manuel Trajtenberg
Manuel Trajtenberg

Zionist Union MK  Prof. Manuel Trajtenberg says the government does not care about the average low-income Israeli family.

Zionist Union leaders unveiled a new campaign against the Netanyahu government's two-year budget at a press conference today. Under the slogan, "Netanyahu's hidden taxes," the campaign, which will be carried by all the new websites and social networks, attacks the allegedly hidden element in household spending, which allegedly averages NIS 4,600 a month for a family with two children.

According to the campaign, which stars MK Prof. Manuel Trajtenberg, together with the NIS 4 billion cut in direct taxes boasted of by the government, which saves wage earners only NIS 150, the average family makes various unnecessary payments, some of which are avoidable. For example, out of NIS 2,100 spent on education, NIS 1,240 is for afternoon day care centers, payments by parents, annual trips, etc. Out of NIS 3,900 a month spent on housing, the hidden tax element amounts to NIS 2,000 a month for "land speculation" and excessive real estate taxes. According to the campaign, were the government to forego its tax cut, the same money could be used to save an average family NIS 1,000 on the cost of afternoon daycare centers. "The problem is that Netanyahu doesn't care about the average family; he cares about his neighbors in Caesarea, who are the real beneficiaries of the cut in direct taxes," Trajtenberg explains.

Zionist Union chairman MK Isaac Herzog, Tzipi Livni, and Knesset faction chairperson Merav Michaeli attended the press conference. Conspicuous by their absence were former Zionist Union chairpersons MKs Shelly Yachimovich and Amir Peretz, who emphasized social and economic matters. Asked by "Globes" whether Yachimovich and Peretz had been invited to the press conference, Michaeli said, "The former party leaders did a lot in this aspect, but the current leaders now taking the lead in these matters are the ones here now."

Livni added, "We are rising above internal disputes and leading our agenda. We do not intend to stoop to these levels." Yachimovich later tweeted that she and MK Erel Margalit (Zionist Union) were at the Knesset, and had learned about the press conference from a question asked by "Globes."

Herzog said he was confident that this would be much more interesting to the media than another attack on the media by Netanyahu, "but the situation engaging the public is their livelihood, existential security, taxes, and especially those paid by the younger generation."

Livni linked the vote on the Economic Arrangements Bill to economic issues, asserting, "This government is concerned about housing for a few families on a hilltop, while leaving the rest of the people without housing. It is neglecting the outlying areas and the economically disadvantaged. Those people are just as worthy, but their money is being given to political cronies. This government is giving in to a strong minority, and has no compassion for the disadvantaged in Israel. This government, gentlemen, must go."

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 7, 2016

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2016

Manuel Trajtenberg
Manuel Trajtenberg
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