Here’s another free NY Times’ link to what seems to me a clear, even-handed summation of the current French situation - it’s certainly better than anything I’ve read in the French press.
3 Likes
Something I’ve noticed over the years. The salaries of people I have managed and those I replaced. I work with young Industrial FM site managers that earn +/- 2.300€ a month 10 yrs ago they would earn 700-1000€ more in to days money.
Modern day salaries for management in my line of work (Construction, energies FM & concessions) are based a lot on variables, benefices sur objectives, primes, company stocks and shares etc but they are variables not counted for retirement or unemployment benefits.
The rest is well above my pay grade, but with companies recording record profits, they could pay better salaries to the new employees, invest in the workforce & pay more tax. This is the company I work for, I didn’t get anywhere near 12%
2 Likes
Exactly, it’s all rubbish. What’s the alternative? Shitty, cramped little Monaco, even shittier Malta (where at least you don’t have to be a resident, to be resident 
) or some God forsaken Caribbean island?
Even if these people stayed in the UK they can structure (with the help of expensive tax advisors ordinary folk could never afford) their wealth so that the impact of higher taxes would have minimal impact proportionally on their income.
I visited an old schooldays pal last week, he’s worth hundreds of millions and has MND. As he said to me through his eye (for that’s all that works now) driven tablet device, what use is that to me now? 
I despise tax dodging bastards. These are people for whom no amount of wealth is enough. They are greedy and generally stingy, there is SFA trickle down, just more screwing of the “staff”.
There are notable exceptions, for example generous Julian Richer or, like him or loathe him, Michael O’Leary who pays his taxes like all us little people. But if one is worth 100m or 200m or much, much more does paying a few extra 100k a year taxes matter if you are not a mean bastard?
2 Likes
They’re the ones who installed all the infrastructure for our local FTTH fibre network here, through their subsidiary Axians.
Monaco for starters. Not sure if Switzerland is as lenient as they used to be.
Its going to get awfully crowded, house prices eye watering even for the rich. But let them go.
If I was super rich (hah!) I hope I’d prioritise quality of life wherever I was living, rather than the local tax regime and I’d like to presume many of the super rich feel the same.
It’s curious, but for some there’s just never enough money, while others see it as merely being to use for other things.
Ah but the super rich have many homes around the world, its choosing where to pay tax and call that home.
1 Like