Under the OBA, payroll taxes for workers were raised to the highest levels in history. The PLP Government cut them to their lowest levels ever.
We created a payroll tax exemption for companies creating jobs in Bermuda.
We gave new Bermudian businesses a one year holiday on all taxes.
We provided tax incentives for the hiring of disabled Bermudians.
We did reform our tax structure in a targeted way so that those who can afford to pay a bit more – the haves and have mores - did so. The reason for this tax reform was to address the inequality inherent in the two Bermudas.
The dividend tax that the OBA complains about exempted the first $10,000 of dividends for Bermuda’s small business. In other words, the first $10,000 of dividends paid was tax free. However, there were well known large local businesses that were declaring $4 Million of dividends every year, for many years, without paying any taxes. And, it’s these corporations that we want to pay a little more.
The OBA would reverse these changes that made Bermuda more fair to benefit the haves and have mores. We believe that businesses who earn $4 million a year should pay tax, that's why we changed the law. The OBA believes the employees of these companies should pay tax, but the wealthy owners should profit without paying any taxes.
Bermuda, we're working everyday to keep our promises and you need to ask yourself, which party has a heart for the people? Which party do you trust to stand up to the importers and work to bring down the cost of living in Bermuda? Which party do you trust to build a fairer Bermuda? Is it Craig Cannonier and Michael Dunkley? Or is it David Burt and the PLP Team?