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Data centers get tax breaks. Not you though. (discuss.online)
submitted 1 month ago by to c/workreform@lemmy.world
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[–] 57 points 1 month ago (1 child)

I mean, we get lots of tax breaks, they're just highly dependent on increasingly arcane rulesets that are ever-changing and still designed to keep you on the edge of poverty. And then they're paid for with higher taxes in years following.

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  • [–] 17 points 1 month ago* (3 children)

    If you're a "company" you get to offset money coming in with expenses and even in the most honest of systems only pay tax on the difference (i.e. the profits).

    If you're an "individual" you pay taxes on any money coming in and cannot offset it with expenses.

    So even at the structural level the system is designed to be incredibly unfair. That shit you describe is just adding insult to injury.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 month ago (3 children)

    If you're a "company" you get to offset money coming in with expenses and even in the most honest of systems only pay tax on the difference (i.e. the profits).

    Taxing profits instead of revenue is sensible though, otherwise businesses with low profit margins would be impossible to run. Groceries would be twice as expensive since the supermarket would have to increase their profit margin by a huge amount to not go bankrupt

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  • [–] 4 points 1 month ago (1 child)

    Why do they need a huge profit margin of profit is the money left over after they’ve paid their expenses? And why wouldn’t you want the same system for individuals?

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  • [–] 1 point 1 month ago*

    Why do they need a huge profit margin of profit is the money left over after they’ve paid their expenses?

    Because if they were taxed on revenue, not profit, they would have a higher tax burden than their profit and go bankrupt

    And why wouldn’t you want the same system for individuals?

    If you could deduct all your expenses from taxes the only ones paying taxes would be people saving up their money. I also didn't say with a single word that I don't want the same system for individuals, why are you arguing in bad faith and putting words in my mouth?

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  • [–] 1 point 1 month ago (1 child)

    That's what the "Standard deductible" is on your taxes. Basically "this is what we think it costs to live here for a year, so this money doesn't count towards your taxes."

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