Controversial AHV financing: higher VAT will come under the wheels

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FDP Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter (59) would like to reduce the federal AHV contribution to relieve the federal treasury. By 2024, she must table proposals on how to decouple the federal budget from AHV growth.

A controversial compensation measure that needs to be investigated: A higher VAT must fill the AHV cash register. This is apparent from the documents of the office consultations that Blick received pursuant to the Government Information (Public Access) Act. Instead of the federal government, consumers should dig deeper into their pockets. It’s billions!

SP-Maillard: “It goes too far”

If the VAT variant actually comes on the table, resistance is certain. “That goes too far”, says SP deputy councilor Pierre-Yves Maillard (55, VD). “Ms. Keller-Sutter has a CHF 9 billion loss guarantee ready for UBS, but she wants to save on AHV.”

The fact that the consumer could pay the bill due to higher VAT is unthinkable for the union boss. “Ordinary citizens have to pay more and more and receive less and less services in return. That won’t work!”

Maillard also has no understanding for the reduction in widows’ and children’s pensions. “These suggestions make me angry,” he scolded. “We will challenge these mining plans.”

Mitte-Bregy: “Wrong means”

Mitte parliamentary party chairman Philipp Matthias Bregy (44) sees the unbundling of federal expenditure from the AHV as the right step. He himself suggested this in an initiative to relieve the federal budget and to increase the scope for action in the ordinary budget.

“An increase in the anti-social value added tax is the wrong way forward,” the National Council of Valais clarifies. This would not only burden the population, but also make hotels and restaurants more expensive. “That would be a competitive disadvantage for our tourism industry.”

Transaction tax on the financial market as an alternative

He has his eye on alternative financing options, such as a transaction tax on the financial market in favor of the AHV. An idea from central alderman Beat Rieder (60, USA). “Depending on how it’s designed, this could be worth several billion francs,” says Bregy. “This could reduce the federal contribution to the AHV and perhaps even replace it altogether.”

It is quite possible that Keller-Sutter will also take a closer look at this unbundling variant and show other options. “It is clear that compensation would be necessary in the event of a split, because the financing of the AHV must not be jeopardized,” the finance department said in a statement. It is also important for him to emphasize: “There are no plans to withdraw money from the AHV. And there are no plans to lower the state pension.”

Source:Blick