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'Netanyahu trying to spin protest'
Attila Somfalvi
Published: 26.07.11, 13:23
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17 Talkbacks for this article
1. "We don't need privatization"
Rachel ,   US   (07.26.11)
That's exactly what you need to build the number of homes/apts that are needed.
2. So what plan do they offer?
Rebecca ,   Modiin   (07.26.11)
3. What plan? Here are some ideas for Bibi:
Lisa ,   Israel   (07.26.11)
1. Stop subsidizing the haredim, and make them work for a living. 2. Stop toadying to the super-rich and giving them tax breaks. Get them to contribute their fair share of the tax burden. 3. Apply rent-control laws in cities, like they do in other countries. 4. Charge extra taxes from people who live abroad and buy apartments without living in them. 5. Improve the public transport system so that people who can't afford to live in the center and need to get to work/study will have more than one train an hour. 6. Increase the number of govt-owned apartments, to be rented at controlled rates to students and young couples. 7. Get your act together with the peace process so that we won't have to spend such a high percentage of what money there is on the army. 8. Did I mention, tax the super-rich. 9. Also, tax the super-rich.
4. To Lisa #3
David M.   (07.26.11)
Rent control and Lisa's other suggestions are recipes for disaster as they were everywhere else in the world. Why should someone take care of repairs of an apartment and lose money. Check what happened in NY City and elsewhere. Under rent control cities become abandoned slums. The super rich already pay a lot of taxes. What makes people like Lisa think that the state or unsuccessful individuals have right to their money? We saw how well socialism worked everywhere else including Israel in the past. A bloated, inefficient, lazy bureaucracy is the only result. As far as not subsidizing Heredim to pray, I think it's a good start. Let them pray for us in their free time and not on our backs.
5. Can you hear that sound?...
Pinhas Bayit ,   Bet HaKerem   (07.26.11)
It's the sound of people choosing one of the two options that usually leads to deposing a government - either security issues or money. This time it seems to be money and this time Bibi is being shown up for what he really is - a spin doctor with no substantive policy on anything other than to remain in the Prime Minister's chair for just one more day. The sad thing is that this is just what happened last time - our electorate is as fickle as any other with selective memories - and we have kept him in power for too long as it is. The best plan is for early elections to put in place leaders who will restore internal confidence and international credibility.
6. netenyahu trying to spin protest.
simon ,   haifa   (07.26.11)
Well if anyone out there actually believes anything this most incompetent of prime ministers says they must be living on another planet. Whatever he says it doesn't matter he will change his mind or say that's not what he said or what he meant or that he was misquoted or any excuse that comes to mind. Anyway there is no way this country could build 50000 housing units in 2 years. Who is going to build them?
7. Lisa 3
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (07.26.11)
rent control laws in cities , likre they do in other countries , you ask . In wich countries ? rent control on private owned appartements ? Extra taxes from people who live abroad and buy appartements ....you asked . Those people pay already Arnona , mostly don't buy cheap appartements , make that many in the building industry have a job . You can't throw this away . Improve public transport , more than a train per hour . It's the same , improved or not , living outside the center costs you much time and money .
8. Beware of Tahrir Square
yaakov ,   TA   (07.26.11)
Certainly there are real,urgent housing concerns--but beware of those who would hijack this because they are looking to imitate the "Arab Spring" and promote anarchy..
9. Charles and David
Lisa   (07.26.11)
I'm prepared to reconsider rent control, if this can be shown to have failed elsewhere. The point was to brainstorm some ideas. I stand by the idea of fair taxation. There are people with billions (who can possibly use billions??) who barely pay any taxes. Meanwhile, the rest of us struggle through a long work day, and pay almost half our meagre money to the government. The government needs money - it should be taking more from people who can afford to pay it and not from those who cannot. Part of the reason why it's impossible for anyone on an Israeli salary to buy an apartment in Jerusalem, for example, is because absentee owners buy up everything and hike the prices up, in an artifical manner. I don't want to take work away from people in the building industry - the opposite is true. We have a shortage of housing - I want them to build. But build affordable housing for young couples, and not more luxury mansions that only people earning money abroad can afford to buy.
10. Its simple
Gideon ,   TEL AVIV ISRAEL   (07.26.11)
Stop selling apartments to foreigners who do not live here for 11 months out of the year.
11. Protests
Yoel ,   Israel   (07.26.11)
This and previous Governments have always put the blame of any and all problems on one another. It is time all the citizens of this country stood up for their rights, dont beleive all their bull-shit, houses for students, rise infod prices, fuel, and much more. Please stand together and put your pitition on paper for all to sign I mean the whole country, this would be a definate wake-up call- dont forger the pensioners.
12. Lisa
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (07.26.11)
You wrote : rent control in other countries . WHERE ? People with billions who barely pay any taxes ? references please . And you think that others pay the taxes they have to pay ? Do you think that all the "schiputsnikim" pay all the taxes they should ? , this as an example . Absentee owners generally won't buy cheap housing , their demand does not influence the prices of the cheaper i think .
13. Do you want Amidar back?
Vadim   (07.26.11)
We had Amidar government housing for a long time. It did not work well as repair was not done and so on. Do you want it back? And, in the end even these apartments are not available now because they were given for free to inhabitants that got them as young couples but stuck there for decades instead of giving to next generation. The latter act was considered as "social justice" that time. If this is what they want, so it is very unjust and ineffective
14. Universities are professional schools
Nora Tel Aviv   (07.26.11)
There students learn how to earn money. It costs to learn a profession. It costs more if these universities are centrally located. Universities accepting to decentralize some of their faculties should be subsidized if they choose to open them at the periphery such as Carmiel and Kiryat Malachi. There, students will have a cheaper and a more concentrated life around their faculties.
15. #3....
Abir ,   Chicago,IL   (07.26.11)
You need to add one more to your list: - Stop allocating inordinate resources tothe settlements.
16. #4: TA already FULL of slum-like apts w/careless landlords
5th generation ,   Israel   (07.27.11)
So rent control might not make much of a difference there. Further, rent control could always be tagged onto a renter's rights bill - long overdue in TA - that a certain level of livability must be maintained. With other measures "Lisa" is proposing, the issue of competition from other housing may keep landlords on their toes. And we shouldn't forget - whatever rent will be, it is still income, and the lazier landlords will just sell the apartment if they don't want the hassle. Overall still a better picture than the very nonJewish antiSemitism-inspiring situation we have now.
17. Land Privitation
David Chester ,   Petach Tikva, Israel   (07.27.11)
The statement that "we don't need land privitation" is correct! When land is owned by anyone including the government, there is a strong tendency to exploit the growing value of it; value that is created by the tax payers' money invested in the local infrastructure. The benefit from land is a public good and anybody holding land should compensate the public for this privilidge. By taxing land values instead of produce and earnings, the equality of opportunity to use the land is created. This reduces the effect of land monopolization and speculation in its growing value. It reduces production costs, raises demand for cheeper goods and consequently reduces unemployment. TAX LAND NOT PEOPLE:TAX TAKINGS NOT MAKINGS!
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