Rendi-Wagner calls for a wage tax cut, an inflation adjustment of pensions, tax cuts on fuel, gas and electricity and the withdrawal of the benchmark rent increase. In addition, energy companies should make part of their “excess profits” available because of the price development. Rendi-Wagner assumes that these amount to 2 billion euros in Austria. According to an EU proposal, 10 percent, i.e. 200 million euros, could be skimmed off via taxation or contributions.
The income tax cut should be designed in such a way that “the first 1,700 euros of every money earned” should be made tax-free, so that at the end of the year working people would “have 1,000 euros more of their wages in their pockets”.
Suspension of regular rent adjustments
The suspension of the statutory adjustment of rents in old buildings every two years would not be unusual. On the other hand, it would be “a very great sin” to allow the currently very high inflation to be fueled by increasing these rents by around 6 percent. Although she is open to a fundamental reform of the price adjustment system, it would be “cynical and misplaced” to start a long discussion about it now.
Rendi-Wagner accused Finance Minister Magnus Brunner (ÖVP) of demanding restraint on wages, while at the same time not only rents and energy prices, but also the cost of food are rising massively. Brunner had warned in the “Tiroler Tageszeitung” (Friday) that there should be no “wage-price spiral” in the collective bargaining negotiations in autumn. “I hope that the trade unions will be reasonable,” the newspaper quoted him as saying that the Ministry of Finance was suggesting that “a kind of pact should be made so that expectations are not driven too much. It would be the greatest catastrophe if we were to Spiraling up inflation even more.”
“It doesn’t add up” that the government is allowing price increases for rent, energy and food, but is demanding restraint on wages. “I wonder if the government knows who it is working for,” said the SPÖ leader. This is obviously not for workers, pensioners, families or young people. When it came to stock or corporate taxation, “this government was wide awake. But when it comes to millions of people, then this government is in a twilight sleep.”
Harsh criticism of the Greens
Harsh criticism also came from her towards the Greens. She hadn’t heard anything from the Minister for Social Affairs (Johannes Rauch) and Vice Chancellor (Werner Kogler) “on this issue for weeks. If the Greens still have a spark of social conscience and any political weight in this country, then they must and should do it now in the throw the scales and persuade the federal government to act now”:
Rendi-Wagner is in favor of starting the “fourth stitch” against Corona in good time so that the population has the greatest possible vaccination protection at the beginning of the expected autumn wave. Tests should be continued in schools at least twice a week. In this way, “one also tests into the families”. It was “not very smart” to “destroy” the existing comprehensive test system.
Source: Nachrichten
