12/23/2008
Support Raymond Lim's idea of free transport
After reading the discussion in TOC, I am also convinced that we should support Raymond Lim's idea of a 1.5% GST increase and free transport for all Singaporeans. And if we continue to charge the same price for PRs and non foreigners, maybe no need 1.5% increase, 1% maybe good enough. Let's all support this brilliant suggestion.
Assuming if a household's expenditure is $4k, 1.5% will be $60 pm. A family of 4 will probably save $200 or more a month with free public transport. OK, no deterioration in service must be a pre condition.
A family spending $2k pm will only add another $30 pm. And everyone can travel freely all over the island any time of the day and year. It will be good socially and for all businesses. The rich who spend big sure won't mind paying a little more. Or they can take some back by taking public transport and park their cars at home. Good for reducing traffic jams too.
Give the man a Tiger, man!
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12 comments:
the other day a singaporean told me about his idea of 'rationing' cars and roads - that every family would only be allowed to have one car, so that poor and rich can use the roads equally.
this idea of rationing can be further extended.
do you want that redbean?
i think we should also have free health care, free education (up to tertiary), free water, free rice.
rationing of cars to one per family may not be a good thing. the smart one will find this a good reason to have more than one family? nah, let the able have their cars.
the more things we want for free, i don't know who in paradise would ask for free stuff when you would have to pay in other forms, the higher will be gst.
but we can have everything for free and work for free as well, just like matilah's proposed paradise.
oh, but this idea coming from raymond is not a wild idea from the lay people. he has it worked out. 1.5% more in gst and we can have it. and i seriously agree that this is a good one.
why not cut GST so that people would have the means to pay for transport fare?
HK don't have GST, they have trams train at about Sing 50cents per trip. They have ferry trip at also 50cents between their islands. In order to do better than HK, Singapore Govt should lower our fare to match the hk. if not why we need to pay million's dollars salary for cheap talk only.
our policy in decision making is on how much the customers are able to pay. nothing to do with cost, or cost is only a factor when it may end up with a loss.
so the people will have to live this kind of mindset in decision making for the time being.
I totally agree with you. I think fixing 8.5% GST with free transportation once and for all makes perfect financial sense. It is a small sum compare to the ever increasing transport charges. But we must hold him to his words that GST will stay at 8.5% and no one should proposed an increased of GST for another 5 years.
Frankly, I am really disgusted with Raymond Lim's speech/ threat. Our GST at 7% is already higher than Boston, USA and a lot of other countries.
Is he forgetting that our transport companies earn tons of money each year?
It saddens me to see the elderly gentlemen asking about bicycle tracks after this cold-blooded MP announced his threats on channelnewsasia. I think if that elderly gentleman cannot make him think for the citizen, he is not fit to be talking to us at all. I am ashamed for my foreign fiends to witness this, that he is our Minister.
hi clumsy girl, welcome to the blog.
i can only hope that raymond lim said that in all seriousness and not another red herring just to spite the people who asked him to do something.
it is a good deal. my feeling is that he is saying it just for the sake of saying it.
gst will be up and up. you can bet on that.
if you look at the way prices are going up, the recent $180k increase in price of flats at the pinnacle, the market pricing policy, how much the people can afford to pay, you know where we are heading.
squeezing as much from the people as possible. this is frightening. totally forgotten what a govt is for.
merry christmas.
Lemon Lime stikes me as another 'chiak liao bee' talk rooster type of Minister.
After thinking about it, I totally believe that the offset is worth it, like you mentioned. 1.5% more in gst trade for $60-100 worth of public transport? hell yeah.
Average guy earns ard 1-4k. Assuming he spends every cent, thats only abt $15-60 bucks! taking bus every day for a month is already at least $60, more so if u have to change or travel long distances. Of cos for those that walk to work, its a downside, but i bet most in sg take at least a bus ride to office, and thats at least $1 per trip, hence at least $44 a month. In order for the 1.5% gst to make u worse off, u probably have to be earning ard $6-8k spending 4-6k a month.
let's see if he is serious or just talking cock. a free transport system for all singaporeans and paid through GST is not a bad idea. all the ah peks and ah mahs can travel everywhere for sight seeings or for social visits.
the shopping centres will also benefit from it.
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