Thurgau: Still no tax deductions for newspaper readers
Newspaper readers in Thurgau should still not be able to deduct the cost of a newspaper subscription from their income tax. The federal tax harmonization law prohibits this, writes the cantonal government in its response to a motion.
According to SDA, the author of the motion, SVP cantonal councillor Andrea Vonlanthen, is proposing that subscription costs be allowed as a general deduction on tax returns. This would be a kind of indirect press subsidy.
The cantonal government now recommends that the Grand Council reject the motion. On the one hand, the Tax Harmonization Act conclusively defines the general deductions. The cantons are not allowed to introduce any additional deductions.
Hardly any new readers due to minimal tax savings
On the other hand, the problems of newspaper publishers cannot be solved by tax deductions of just a few francs. Such a minimal tax saving would hardly encourage a non-reader to take out a newspaper subscription. In addition, the decline in advertising caused by the economic crisis is having a much greater impact on the economic situation of publishing houses. The motion would therefore only have a "very limited effect", according to the government.
The cantonal government now recommends that the Grand Council reject the motion. On the one hand, the Tax Harmonization Act conclusively defines the general deductions. The cantons are not allowed to introduce any additional deductions.
Hardly any new readers due to minimal tax savings
On the other hand, the problems of newspaper publishers cannot be solved by tax deductions of just a few francs. Such a minimal tax saving would hardly encourage a non-reader to take out a newspaper subscription. In addition, the decline in advertising caused by the economic crisis is having a much greater impact on the economic situation of publishing houses. The motion would therefore only have a "very limited effect", according to the government.
