Bovenschulte calls for “burden sharing” for corona costs

Stand date: December 26, 2020.

–

• Corona has exacerbated social inequality, says Andreas Bovenschulte
• Bremen mayor hopes for broad consensus for a “burden sharing”
• Proposal: higher taxes for mail order companies and internet companies

Bremen’s Mayor Andreas Bovenschulte (SPD) believes that after the end of the corona pandemic, a debate about fair burden sharing is necessary. The topic will certainly also play a role in the election campaign for the federal election in autumn, said Bovenschulte.

I hope that in the summer – through the combination of the season, vaccinations, improved contact follow-up and protective mechanisms – the pandemic topic has at least been relativized to the extent that it no longer determines our everyday life.

Andreas Bovenschulte, Mayor of Bremen
–
–

Then you have to talk about the economic and social consequences and how the burdens are distributed fairly. The corona crisis has exacerbated social inequality in Germany. “There are corporate sectors that have come through the crisis brilliantly, and there are others that have been hard hit.” This raises the question of whether it makes sense to treat all industries equally.

Higher taxes for mail order companies and internet companies?

It must then be discussed whether, in addition to the instruments of immediate and bridging aid, one can react with adequate measures such as different depreciation rates, tax burdens and subsidies, emphasized Bovenschulte. The discussion quickly narrowed down to whether one was for or against a property tax or levy.

“What we really need is a broad social consensus that a load sharing is necessary in order to react to this unique crisis,” emphasized the SPD politician. This also raises the question of whether one should tighten the tax screw for mail order companies or the Internet companies and loosen them elsewhere, for example in the catering sector, so that burdens are actually distributed fairly fairly.