Yahoo! Answer: Are the GST credits enough to help you cope with the GST increase?

[THOA]

Ladies and gentlemen,

I urge you to take this opportunity to answer this question on Yahoo! Answer. An opportunity for your voice to be heard. Join in the 153 people who has already spoke their mind, before this question "mysteriously" disappear:

http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/questio...wnUudiyC5b729.IDxTg--&paid=asked&msgr_status=

 

[rottenramone]

so why do people who got the money still vote for the PAP?

imo, i only worry for the blue collar workers. newspapers say that their salaries haven't increased. furthermore they're now competing with foreigners who are willing to do the same job as them. the income gap is widening and may never close up as time goes on.

 

[THOA]

Well, the last General Elections quite a while back. The money only came in recently. Maybe the outcome of the next GE will be different. Already the opposition is gaining ground from the last one.

There need to be a realization by the authorities that we are not just dealing with GST here. The overall standard of living has increased because of numerous reasons beyond that; rising oil prices is the main factor, followed by transportation cost plus price of certain food items. Already the whole damn world is depending on the US to pick its economic butt up but its fat behind is already bloated with blood from the war it pursued in the Middle East and so it is finding it too hard to help itself up. GST wouldn't be so hard for us if these things aren't happening.

It doesn't help that a bulk of the nation's capital have been pumped into the upcoming international events like the F1 and the Youth Olympic and the IR, or in pursuits like convincing foreign players to be Singapore citizens so that we can be in the World Cup, or spending in farewell parties for a venue that's suppose to be torn down but end up being used to witness a humiliation by visitors...

I digress. Sorry.

Anyway, Singapore is investing a lot of money in trying to put itself on the world map. Can't blame the idea; it's to attract foreign investment, so the country can be rich (I say it again, the Country, not the people). So you can pretty much guess where our taxes, ERP, GST, fines etc are being spent on.

So are these pursuit for foreign investment good or bad? Something that needs time to show result, but at the moment, we are bearing the brunt.

 

[dir]

not that bad in my opinion, but hell it could be a lot better. We can't do anything about it other than bitch and the government knows that (and how to exploit it) perfectly.

 

[subversion]

is that amount of money really a GST credit to begin with?

 

[THOA]

Heh, good question.

 

[jeepers]

Okie answer liao. Best answer is got more credits is it. But I is not 21. How? If I get best answer award, I get the credits la, steady bo?

 

[THOA]

Hahah can can. Sure get recognised one. Although this question is not set up by me. Yahoo! SG set it up.

 

[hifi_killer]

Suppliers bear the burden of GST more than consumers. Most of the time, GST is absorbed by the supplier. You still pay $1.20 for a can drink, not $1.22. Singapore's economy has always been heavily dependent on FDI, will continue to be.. Inflationary pressures are larely due to external factors, nothing much we can do. Unlike our neighbouring countries we cannot afford to artificially suppress the price hikes.

 

[THOA]

It's not about supressing prices, nor is it about trying to justify NOT paying GST. The topic in essence is about whether the GST offset giveaways is enough to actually offset, or cushion the blow of the rising prices, or even just GST. The major consensus of what I see on that link is: No.

Why is that the general consensus then?

Perhaps when it was first planned and decided, it was enough. Perhaps the amount was calculated based on basic expenses (face it la, the governement won't offset GST for our GAS ), on the inflation rate set a few months back, at the prices that was valid back then. I believe the GST off set package was planned and announced even before things got this bad. Back then our economy was in a boom, people see the amount as an incentive rather than an aide.

Remember though, 7% of prices some 3-5 months ago is not the same as 7% of prices now. Right now, things ARE bad. Even worse when you have to pay for more with the same wage that you earn 3 months back. Now, not only are prices of oil and food are going up, transportation and utility is going up too. And still the wage is stagnant. Seems like the $100-$250 giveaways is the amount that would help to offset some GST back then, just not at current prices.

This may be tolerable for some, but the lower income families will have a hard time. Even if you do earn more than a decent living, those of us who have a family to feed and take care of, will still find it hard living too.

What worries me in the first place is that it SEEMS that the problem was not anticipated. Instead, Singaporeans are dealt with the blow of new ERP gantries being planned as well as the possibility of a hike in electricity bills, and who knows what else in the future. It's like we are caught off guard by a situation that needs to be addressed quickly, but we have other pursuits of major interest in our way which is already in the no-turning-back zone, so we have to go ahead with it and concentrate on that first and put this on hold.

Like you said, nothing much we can do. But that doesn't mean we can't be worried. For some of us, we have parents to pay everything for. For others, WE are the parents.

 

[soft]

I drive a van. Most of the time, i don't have to drive through ERP areas. So, with the discount in Road Tax, I should be saving some money there.

I am also a person who spend little. Hmm.. or rather, I spend on things that I really need. So, hopefully, the GST rebate does me some good too.

Life goes on, we just have to learn how to make our living better with lesser dependency on money. Anything extra would be a plus.

 

[gjtaylor]

GST maybe high to all Singaporeans.

But sometimes take a look at the Scandanavia countries like Sweden & Denmark; and even Germany. The people pay hell lots of taxes. If I'm not wrong, their take home salary is 50% or 60%; which means u earn $1000, u only bring home $500 or $600; the rest are tax.

And of course the high taxes comes with something. Free education from kindergarten to primary sch to secondary sch to high sch to university. Absolutely free. Free healthcare and many more.

Unless we want something like them, we shouldnt complain too much. As the Jack Neo's movie said, Singaporeans are obedient. So just let our government do anything they feel is good for us. Because in Singapore, u complain, nothing will happen or change very much.

They give we take. Didnt give wait until they give lah ~

 

[claire_p86]

Say, do the family members of our dear president and the Lees get GST credits?

Yes, our leaders who get an average of S$3.5 million dollars annually in salary.

Anyone knows?

 

[gjtaylor]

yup, i know. their salary comes from us of course.
unless our ministers are like Thaksin or Berlusconi.

 

[soft]

=claire_p86

http://www.growthdividends.gov.sg/Overview.htm

This is how the GST offset package is calculated.

 

[rottenramone]

Unless we want something like them, we shouldnt complain too much. As the Jack Neo's movie said, Singaporeans are obedient. So just let our government do anything they feel is good for us. Because in Singapore, u complain, nothing will happen or change very much.

it's stressful being a singaporean really. personally, i feel there's always a vibe of being shortchanged by the govt, been working too hard without feeling appreciated. more often than not its also keeping up with the rest, as well as the rest of the foreign workforce. i don't think i have so many foreign classmates as much as the students do now. and i have RT to go 3 times a week, reservist in sept. and the govt won't pay for my fuel tank.

so would we be happier as a fishing village or as we are right now?

 

[empihsrow]

=gjtaylor

I feel very sad whenever someone says something like that.

When things go wrong, are you still gonna be that obedient? And it's precisely because of the obedient people, voices aren't heard.

 

[RoRK]

I encountered something really saddening a couple of days ago.

As I was walking back after doing a little grocery shopping, I was stopped by a lady, approx. 25 years of age. As I was walking, I noticed that she had a troubled look. She was also with a baby that was sacked, within a bag, in front of her.

Her troubled face took my attention. As I walked, she approached me. I thought she wanted to ask for directions but instead she said that she needed money to take the bus!

RoRK was stunned! The baby was no more than 1-3 months old. she left after I gave her some money.

The entire episode hasn't left me and I'm very troubled by it. After she left, I kept thinking of her baby's next meal and hers as well..

I doubt if she has a permanent address; without it, GST credits won't reach her. And if she hasn't been working, there's no workfare bonus for her as well.

There are also many elderly who have financial problems finding three decent meals a day. I recall a government health related study that showed that a large percentage of young Singaporeans are malnourished. This study was done no more than two years ago. I'm certain even more families will find it hard these days.

I recalled when GST was first implemented. Soon after, prices of many things increased by more than 5%. Lau chiau Softies may recall this.

I do my own groceries most of the time and I know for a fact that prices have gone up substantially, pre-GST increment, just after the GST increment and now with this inflation.

 

[THOA]

gjtaylor: I very much doubt that their salary is $1000 to begin with. It has to be at a cost where even after 50% it is comfortable to live with. And like you said, it's free everything; education, healthcare, etc etc. Can we say the same for Singapore? We pay for such services, at a subsidised rate perhaps, but we still pay.

I came across an article recently, that despite the offset packages, number of Singaporeans seeking financial aid has gone up. Rork has given a fine example of the reality some Singaporeans are facing: no money, no job, no home, no CPF, no where to turn. It's easy for us to say that there are many welfare organisations and and communities that such people can seek help, but is that the only solution possible for these people? You get meagre amount just for the basic needs of survival but not enough to be independent from help, so it becomes a vicious cycle that you can't get out. And now the cost of living has jumped up at an alarming rate. Yes, inflation is inevitable, but the rate it is rising is alarming.

Those of us who can afford withstand the inflation, this is a complaint. For those of us who can't this is a cry of help. Or should we stop whining, complaining and getting pissed and just shut up? If ever everyone in this country keep silent and not complain, then you know that something is REALLY wrong.

As consumers, Singaporeans are cutting back our spending power, but it is not helping the prices that Singapore itself is still spending alot to begin with. In fact, with the upcoming international events, we are using resources more than ever. F1 is gonna be a night time race where lots of electricity and fuel is needed, the construction of IR amidst the higher cost of building materials is overlooked, Youth Olympics is seeing time and money invested into impressing visitors as well.

So do we cancel these events? Too late, ball has been rolled. So I guess we have to be the one taking the second in priority list.

 

[Godspeed64]

Sidetrack..

I find it bull to tax stuff we people ship in from overseas.. Especially for us guitarists who constantly find the need to take matters into their own hands and purchasing online..

Say, you bought a guitar through Musiciansfriend.com, taking the trouble to call them, check for availability, then arranging for a VPost address (which you had to painstakingly arrange as well).. Then ship the object to Singapore, and voila!
You handled EVERY single aspect of the deal, might even pay for American tax, yet our goods are still being taxed when all they did was sit and shake their legs!

Especially when buying uber expensive axes, it is cheaper to fly to America and coming back.. You waste time, but you save your hard earned $$$..