Dear editor,
We must come up with an economic plan to stimulate our economy. I believe that tax cuts really do provide a stimulus. The real reason is that they provide flexibility: people who want to consume more can use their tax cut for that purpose; people who want to save more can use theirs to buy or reinvest in a business or use that tax cut to buy shares in a business or start a new business which in turns create jobs. Tax cut is the perfect scenario during a recession, when prior over-investment has resulted in bloated inventory levels and poor private investment opportunities. Tax cuts are really a sneaky way to increase consumers' credit lines. I believe the government should allow local investors to buy shares in the airport, harbor and GEBE and also Telem. This will not only make these companies stronger but they must live up to transparency and financial scrutiny or accountability. At the same time we will be creating StMaarten ownership which is real Nation-building. If we really want to stimulate our economy, we should put money in the hands of the people most likely to spend it, which creates good business and lots of cash flow. Economic growth means an increase in the amount of wealth that exists in a country--and all wealth must be produced. Production does not need stimulation from the government; it needs liberation from the government. What a productive, dynamic economy requires of a government is that it restricts itself to protecting property rights from force and fraud, and refrain from interfering in free production and trade. It is important for our banks to continue to lend money especially for houses, cars and personal business; this is the key for StMaarten, because we are a consuming and service base economy. It is better when people build their own homes than when government build homes for people, the main reason private property and private investment force people to be more responsible and ownership of home via a mortgage or car loan produces insurance business. Insurance is the backbone as security to any investment. I endorse giving all native StMaarten people and Dutch citizens of StMaarten a 3 years tax break for any new business they open. This is how you stimulate an economy and create ownership. That tax break can earn greater profits when you have to rent, those funds can use to buy more products that you can sell. I am not afraid to say we should make a flat tax across the board when it comes to income tax, which is allowing all people to pay no more than 20% of what they earn to government. This will make people qualify for a mortgage loan or a car loan much faster and make the demand to lend money greater. Reducing the income tax will create more spending which in first will make government loose revenues but the reward will l make the government revenues quadruple after because of the amount of jobs and profit that is being made. That is stimulating the economy and not government while at the same time building a prosperous nation with ownership for our StMaarten people. For my reader I will be soon on vacation you will not hear from me for a while. Let the government know if you empty my pockets you're not my friend. And charity begins at home. Tax break should not only be for hotel owners, it should also be for the small business people from StMaarten Heritage and all StMaarten people. Keep hope alive; always condition your mind for the long term.
Yours truly,
The Patriot Miguel Arrindell
