15
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1983
MR WONG POINTED OUT THAT IN RECENT MONTHS, THE AVERAGE INCOME GROUP HAD FACED INCREASED CHARGES FOR WATER, TRANSPORT, ELECTRICITY, TELEPHONE AND OTHER SERVICES.
+VIEWED IN ISOLATION, THE INDIVIDUAL INCREASES MAY NOT BE GREAT, BUT TAKEN TOGETHER AS A WHOLE, THEY UNDOUBTEDLY DEAL A HEAVY BLOW TO THE LIVING STANDARD OF MANY SMALL OWNERS OR TENANTS,+ HE SAID.
MR WONG EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT BEFORE DETERMINING THE NEW RATE PERCENTAGE, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD VIEW WITH SYMPATHY THE DIFFICULTIES CONFRONTING THESE PEOPLE AND TAKE APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO AVOID DEALING AN UNINTENDED BLOW AT THEM.
+ADMITTEDLY, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT 'SQUEEZE THE RICH IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM SHOULDER THE RESPONSIBILITY COMPLETELY, BUT NEITHER SHOULD IT UNNECESSARILY REFRAIN FROM ASKING THE RICH TO MAKE A GREATER CONTRIBUTION THAN USUAL, HE SAID.
MR WONG RECALLED THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD RAISED THE RATE OF PROF IT TAX IN THE MID-SEVENTIES AND SUBSEQUENTLY REDUCED IT WHEN THE ECONOMY IMPROVED.
AS THE REVENUE FROM PROFIT TAX FOR FISCAL 1983-84 IS ESTIMATED AT $7.7 BILLION, MR WONG RECKONED THAT AN INCREASE OF ONE PER CENT IN THE RATE FOR THIS TAX WOULD BOOST GOVERNMENT REVENUE BY OVER $460 MILLION.
HE DESCRIBED THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S PROPOSAL TO RAISE ALLOWANCES FOR DEPENDENT PARENTS AS VERY APPROPRIATE AND WORTHY OF SUPPORT+.
BUT IN HIS VIEW, THE REQUIREMENT THAT TAXPAYERS MUST LIVE WITH THEIR PARENTS +ÍS OPEN TO QUESTION+.
+AS THE LOSS OF REVENUE IS NOT TOO GREAT, I AM OF THE OPINION THAT THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY MIGHT AS WELL CONSIDER CANCELLING THIS REQUIREMENT, SO THAT TAXPAYERS WHO REALLY SUPPORT THEIR PARENTS WILL BE BENEFITED, + MR WONG SAID.
HE ALSO QUESTIONED WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD CONTINUE
TO OPERATE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
IN EDUCATION AS WELL AS IN SOME OTHER AREAS, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ONLY DETERMINE POLICIES AND LEAVE THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION TO PRIVATE OR VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, HE ADDED.