XN000022-1989-04-26 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1989

6

MORE SHOULD BE DONE FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS: RITA FAN

***

OUT

OF

SHOULD

BE

COULD BE

AND, THE MIDDLE CLASS WAS THE BACKBONE OF THE ECONOMY

CONTRIBUTION, MORE FAIRNESS AND IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR DONE FOR THEM SO THAT THEIR SENSE OF BELONGING TO HONG KONG ENHANCED, THE HON RITA FAN SAID THIS TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

LEGISLATIVE

COUNCIL,

$100,000 TAX

SPEAKING DURING THE BUDGET DEBATE IN THE MRS FAN NOTED THAT THE MIDDLE CLASS - PEOPLE EARNING BETWEEN

SALARIES CONTRIBUTED 36.5 PER CENT OF THE TO $300,000 PER YEAR - REVENUE AND ACCOUNTED FOR ONE-THIRD OF TAXPAYERS.

COST

HOUSING AND WERE HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNQUALIFIED FOR LOW COST

THEIR LIVING UNLIKELY TO BENEFIT FROM SUBSIDISED HOUSING. FURTHER,

LESS FAVOURABLY TO THOSE IN LOW CONDITIONS OFTEN HOUSING, IN TERMS OF RECREATIONAL AND SHOPPING FACILITIES, MANAGEMENT, AND OTHER SERVICES.

COMPARED

TWO

MRS FAN SAID THAT THE REDUCTION OF STANDARD RATE OF TAX IN

CLASS. CONSECUTIVE YEARS ONLY BENEFITED A SMALL PORTION OF THE MIDDLE

AFFECTED THE VAST BUT THE CLAW-BACK PROVISION INTRODUCED IN 1987-88

FEW COULD BENEFIT FULLY FROM THE MAJORITY OF THIS SECTOR IN THAT ADDITIONAL ALLOWANCE.

CLASS, HE

AGREED WITH HER ON SHE SAID THAT IF THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THE IMPORTANCE OF LOOKING AFTER THE INTEREST OF THE MIDDLE SHOULD CONSIDER ABOLISHING THE CLAW-BACK PROVISION IN THE AND OFFER TAX DEDUCTIONS ON THE MORTGAGE INTEREST PAID BY OWNERS OF SELF-OCCUPIED PROPERTIES.

TAX SYSTEM FIRST TIME

OFFER TAX DEDUCTIONS ON THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SHOULD ALSO

AND WIDEN THE EMPLOYEES' CONTRIBUTION TO APPROVED RETIREMENT SCHEMES THE GAP ON THE PROGRESSIVE RATE ON SALARIES TAX, SHE ADDED.

HAVING SAID THAT, MRS

FAN

KINDERGARTEN

THAT NOTED

TEACHERS MIDDLE CLASS IN THAT THEY HAD WERE IN A SIMILAR POSITION TO THE

THEIR CONTRIBUTION PROVIDED QUALITY EDUCATION FOR YOUNG CHILDREN BUT WAS NOT REWARDED WITH RECOGNITION AND SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT.

THE

KINDERGARTENS,

TEACHER: PUPIL ΤΟ TEACHERS QUALIFIED SCALES FOR TEACHERS WERE

WAS GIVEN ΤΟ SHE SAID THAT NO DIRECT SUBSIDY

THE AND THE EDUCATION COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS ON

OF RATIO KINDERGARTENS, IN RATIO UNQUALIFIED TEACHERS AND NORMATIVE SALARY NOT ACCEPTED.

OF A

AND

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE EDUCATION COMMISSION'S SUGGESTION

ENHANCE THE FEE ASSISTANCE "SPLIT CONTRIBUTION FACTOR" APPROACH TO

PUPILS WAS CONSIDERED Тоо COMPLICATED SCHEME TO KINDERGARTEN RECEIVED LITTLE SUPPORT, MRS FAN SAID.

/NOTING THAT