Tax changes dominate finance election roadshow

The roadshow on the state of the island’s finances was held in Forest on Friday.

Gill Freeman was among people to attend and said her top election issue was balancing the books.

She said she preferred the idea of an increase to the rate of income tax, which the States rejected in favour of GST last year.

She said: “GST is unfair as it gets the lowest paid.”

The agreed States policy, according to the treasury, is to mitigate against the regressive impact of a GST through the lower rate of income tax.

Former UK Business Minister Lord Digby Jones said he wanted the next States to “have a sense of urgency” when it came to tackling the island’s public finances.

He said: “We need to follow through with GST+, as that is urgent, otherwise we are just going to run out of money.

“That’s not nice to have. It’s a must and we need to big time sort out the dosh.”

Outgoing politician, Deputy Andy Taylor agreed: “This government needs to drum home the actual situation we are in, the financial difficulties in the future.

“If we don’t tackle those we are absolute scuppered.”

On the way to pick up her friend at the airport, Sandra Poulding agreed GST was a “necessary evil” for the island.

Another States member, who is leaving government at the end of this term, Deputy Bob Murray, came to visit the roadshow on the way to grab some Guernsey biscuits.

He expressed his exasperation at the current States and said he was concerned incoming candidates would fail to grasp how big an issue the future of the island’s finances was.

He said: “The island has still not grasped the nettle in terms of the challenges we face, and I think we will have to wait for something like a car crash situation to have people wake up to the problems the island has.

“Hopefully GST will be introduced, it is a major way we can start to address the deficit in public finances. The other crown dependencies won’t deal with us on corporate tax reform until we bring in a GST, why would they?”

A number of general election candidates have promised to reform the island’s corporate income tax system, if they are elected.

While others have suggested a mix of income from corporate tax reform and a new wind farm off the coast of Guernsey would be enough to stop the need for a GST.

Outside Forest Stores, people weren’t just talking tax, as several voters expressed their frustration with the current electoral system.

As she got some meat for her dog from the shops, Liz stopped by and said the States should go back to the parish system of electing deputies.

She said: “This election is too much, this way of electing is not good for our community.

“People’s days are full, they have children to go home and look after, they don’t have time to go through 82 manifestos.”

Paul Domaille said his top priority at this election was supporting candidates who would reform the voting system: “I don’t think island wide voting is working.”

Former Deputy for the west, Gloria Dudley-Owen, said she’s been “disappointed” with the election campaign so far.

She said: “There are some candidates definitely lacking in knowledge about the issues.”

In the past Mrs Dudley-Owen has campaigned to tighten the island’s population laws and said high levels of net migration to the island were a concern that candidates needed to take seriously.

She said: “I think it’s quite tragic what is happening with our population, we seem to have a bias against helping the Guernsey population.

“Net migration was high last year, we do need workers but I feel our people, our local people are being neglected in their needs when it comes to housing.”