December 27, 2005
Guess who's supporting France Tax-Land?
Just move this damn, ugly U.N. building to France!
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today welcomed the French Parliament’s adoption of a levy on airline tickets to help developing countries and urged others to follow this example.Posted by Carine at December 27, 2005 10:03 PMThe initiative, set to begin next July on locally issued tickets, will help improve the health sector of poor nations.
A spokesman for Mr. Annan called the scheme “a significant step, raising additional sources of innovative financing in support of the efforts by developing countries to reach the Millennium Development Goals.”
Known collectively as the MDGs, these time-bound targets were set at a 2000 UN Summit and aim to tackle major global ills such as poverty, illiteracy and hunger.
“The Secretary-General strongly urges other countries to follow France’s lead with similar measures,” his spokesman said in a statement released in New York.
Mr. Annan has long advocated innovative solutions to provide financing to developing countries. Asked last year about a proposed tax to help developing countries, he noted that the idea has been around for some time and acknowledged that it faced opposition.
“There are governments who see this as taxing their citizens, and they believe only they can tax their citizens,” he said. “But, the idea of finding a creative way of raising money for development and to assist the poor and to fight poverty, fight diseases and epidemics, is a real challenge and I think we need to explore all creative ways of raising funding for development.”
Chirac also proposed that a small tax be tacked onto the cost of every one of the three billion airline tickets sold each year. He said that the funding could be raised without hampering markets
OK, stick with me for this math.
I found that in US there were 50.7 million airline tickets sold in Sept 2005 (DOMESTIC travel only).
Lets say same traffic level for 12 months.
12 x 50.7 = 608.7 million tickets sold in US.
If, as Chirac says, 3 Billion tickets sold, then the US accounts for 20.29% of tickets sold with just our domestic travel.
608.7 million/3 billion = 0.2029 = 20.29%
I could not find figures on International travel where tickets were purchased, but it would, of course, only make the percentage of tickets purchased by US greater.
Just another scheme by the UN(necessary) to take more money from the US.
No wonder Jack is behind this....
Posted by: andy at December 28, 2005 08:28 PMI wonder whether Chiraq ever thought of running for Annan's job at the U.N. It would suit him perfectly,.
Posted by: Carine at December 28, 2005 10:35 PM“There are governments who see this as taxing their citizens, and they believe only they can tax their citizens,” (Annan) said.
How DARE we Americans abide by our Constitution? Such nerve!
I'd like to see that awful slag behind bars.
Posted by: Yankee Expat In Japan at December 29, 2005 04:36 AMNo taxation without representation!
Posted by: interventor at December 29, 2005 07:21 PMTo offset this tax, the US should increase landing fees for all air france flights or flights which have added fees.
The difference between this added fee and normal landing fees should then be refunded to the passagers who are not french when they deplane.
