In early January, the new republic Offered its readers an online questionnaire to find out their questions and concerns for the presidential election. Among the topics discussed are issues related to taxes and their uses. State of the game on these questions with some answers.

Administrative Millefeuil. Alexandre of Indre-et-Loire asks us if he “Planned to reduce the administrative yarrow, as it costs a lot of time and money”, Removing one or more levels of communities is a sea snake, but since the new map of the regions in 2015, the topic has been somewhat pushed under the carpet. During his 2017 campaign, Emmanuel Macron announced that he wanted to eliminate a quarter of departments. Didn’t keep promise.
On the other hand, savings can be found in the decentralized services of the state (roads, public finance, rectorates, etc.). The Public Action 2022 Committee constituted in 2017 to reduce public spending has not been followed. A minor reform, the Regional Organization (OTE) was introduced in 2019, for example the creation of Dreets as a result of the merger of DCRS (Social Cohesion) and Direccte (Economy and Employment).
According to INSEE, local government spending in 2020 was about €270 billion, or 19% of total government spending.
Audiovisual license fee. Claude du Loir-et-Cher worried about potential “Missing” audiovisual license fee “with housing tax”Wonder “What will be the replacement fund source” For public television and radio channels. Created in 1948, the TV levy, now called a “contribution to public broadcasting”, has been supported by a housing tax since 2005. The scheduled abolition of the latter, fully effective in 2023, calls into question the methodology for imposing the duty but does not mean it will disappear.
In November 2019, former Culture Minister Frank Rister assured bfmtv that the executive wanted “Maintain specific funding for public broadcasting” For “its long-term funding and guarantee of independence”, Not long ago, Gerald Dormann, who was then the Minister of Works and Public Accounts, indicated that the TV license could be in the longer term. “Income Tax Backed”, Since then, some changes. A report was commissioned in October 2021.
In 2021, the contribution for public broadcasting amounted to €138 and 27.6 million households were subject to it. In 2020, it brought in 3.8 billion euros.

social benefit. Gerard asks why “Don’t we take all cash receipts (school bonus, RSA, allowance of any kind) in tax declarations? People who work around Smic with income often get little help. »
“Most social and family benefits are not subject to income tax”, confirms the Ministry of Economy on its website. In fact, these benefits are defined as “Transfer” no more “Income”, These transfers contribute to reducing inequalities between the richest and poorest.
about those who “often too little help”The activity bonus, introduced in 2015, was increased following the Yellow Vest movement. This eligible bonus is also a benefit for those earning between €1,000 and €1,800 per month. It is not taxable.

Reduction in the number of elected officials. Ed. De la Vien expressed surprise about the reduction in the number of parliamentarians in France, ” very much “ Many in their eyes, and the cost they represent for the taxpayer. “One senator per department and two deputies is more than enough”, he believes. Notably supported by Emmanuel Macron during the 2017 presidential election, who proposed to reduce “by about a third” The number of MPs, in this new campaign at the moment comes up very rarely. It was abandoned by the current government due to lack of majority in the Senate, but also for another reason.
“Less elected officials means larger constituencies and fewer MPs in the region”In fact in early February, one of the spokespersons for LREM, recognized Prisca Thévenot of paris, France currently has 577 representatives and 348 senators, a figure that has not changed since 1986. In Europe, the United Kingdom is the only one with more (1,410). The French figure remains relatively low in comparison to the population: one MP for 72,320 inhabitants. Only five countries in Europe have fewer MPs per citizen: Russia, Germany, Ukraine, the Netherlands and Spain.
In terms of their remuneration, France’s parliamentarians rank ninth in Europe with a gross salary of €7,240 per month (excluding mandate and staff costs). As against €10,500 for Italian deputies.
According to liberal think tank iFrap, reducing the number of lawmakers by a third would save 160 million euros, and according to UDI senator Vincent Delhaye, who is behind a proposal in this direction in 2014, 300 million euros.

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