French “Supreme” Court Says NO To Unfair Taxation

The French government’s tax plans have sparked threats to leave from actor Gerard Depardieu. France’s socialist president Francois Hollande suffered a setback as the country’s highest court ruled his plans for a 75pc tax on its highest earners were unconstitutional. Image Credit: AFP/Getty Images

French "Supreme" Court Says NO To Unfair Taxation

Even the French “Supreme” Court has enough legal sense that punitive taxation in the pursuit of socialism is wrong … are you listening U. S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts?

This excerpted and edited from Yahoo! Finance – 

French panel overturns 75 percent tax on ultrarich
Associated Press – 12-29-2012

Embattled French President Francois Hollande suffered a fresh setback Saturday when France’s highest court threw out a plan to tax the ultrawealthy at a 75 percent rate, saying it was unfair.
In a stinging rebuke to one of Socialist Hollande’s flagship campaign promises, the constitutional council ruled Saturday that the way the highly contentious tax was designed was unconstitutional. It was intended to hit incomes over €1 million ($1.32 million).
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Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault was quick to respond, saying in a statement following the decision the government would resubmit the measure to take the court’s concerns into account. The court’s ruling took issue not with the size of the tax, but with the way it discriminated between households depending on how incomes were distributed among its members. A household with two earners each making under €1 million would be exempt from the tax, while one with one earner making €1.2 million would have to pay.

The French government approved the tax in its most recent budget, amid criticism by some that it would do little to stem the country’s mounting fiscal problems and would drive away the wealthiest citizens. 

Hollande’s popularity, meanwhile, has been tanking as the country’s unemployment continued its rise for the 19th straight month.
[Reference Here]

Favorite factual “Pull Quote” from the AP article – “… it would do little to stem the country’s mounting fiscal problems and would drive away the wealthiest citizens” – sounds familiar … don’t ya’ think?


** Article originally published as French "Supreme" Court Says NO To Unfair Taxation at Politisite **