Forum Post: Anger Over Lagarde's Tax-Free Salary After Remark About time for Greeks to Pay their Taxes
Posted 11 years ago on May 29, 2012, 11:10 p.m. EST by Middleaged
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Anger over Lagarde's tax-free salary Rob Hastings, Wednesday 30 May 2012
The IMF chief Christine Lagarde was accused of hypocrisy yesterday after it emerged that she pays no income tax – just days after blaming the Greeks for causing their financial peril by dodging their own bills.
The managing director of the International Monetary Fund is paid a salary of $467,940 (£298,675), automatically increased every year according to inflation. On top of that she receives an allowance of $83,760 – payable without "justification" – and additional expenses for entertainment, making her total package worth more than the amount received by US President Barack Obama according to reports last night.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/anger-over-lagardes-taxfree-salary-7801028.html
Barack should earn more.
And give more back.
Well, good points. He doesn't need money since he is set up now from book royalties. But yes seems like he should make more and maybe one single 6 year term. And term limits for congress and the senate.
You're right of course, that's hypocritical; and no one should have a tax-free salary. But it doesn't change the fact that Greeks really don't pay their taxes; and that's a terrible problem they'll have to solve, however annoyed they get when someone points it out.
Yes, I don't know exactly greek working habits or taxes. I know in Europe more than a few countries have had less than 40 hour work weeks, 2 months of paid vactation a year, Paris closes for a whole month in summer, Sick days paid, Sick benefits might include many relaxing therapies, ....etc.
Maybe we should focus on anti-corruption laws, regulations, monitoring, enforcement, implementation of anti-corruption laws, funding for anti-corruption measures. We need to learn better Follow Through in this country. In the USA when there is a problem we pass a law during a political crisis in Washington DC, but there is no follow through or implementation to make sure it works.