Top 15 unusual charges in the world
A tax on the shadow, dawn, and the private crime — the selection of “News”.
At all times, and in different countries taxes were the subject of fierce debate and the cause of constant discontent on the part of local residents. In Russia and most Western countries, the tax system is rooted in the XV—XVII centuries ESA, with the first taxes were introduced even earlier.
During this time there were a lot of unexpected initiatives from the Byzantine tax on the air to put into medieval England tax cowardice (he frees the payer from having to participate in military campaigns). Most of these fees is long gone, but some unexpected and sometimes incomprehensible foreign taxes exist in the world so far.
Tax on plaster and belly dance
Often unusual at first glance, the taxes are due to the appearance of local tourist attractions and entertainment.
Thus, the tax on belly dance, for example, are required to pay into the Treasury of the dancer Egypt.
And the Austrian authorities imposed a tax on gypsum — the reason was the large number of tourists applying to local hospitals with fractures after skiing in the Alps. However, to pay the tax have not them, and the local hotels, which, in turn, keep the money from their guests.
Caring about the environment
Tourist taxes are often directed at compensation of the damage to a large number of visitors to the local nature and architecture, or infrastructure development.
So, a tax on the shadow has been active since 1993 in Venice: its size varies depending on the area of the shadow that umbrellas and canopies, cast on the streets and walls of houses.
It is believed that the more canopy, the more the store or restaurant, and thus the more income.
In addition, it is assumed that in summer the shadow of the awning becomes an extension of the institution, as people will gather in this part of the street to escape from the sun. All funds raised through this tax go to the restoration and preservation of Venetian buildings.
He dispenses leisure with €1 a day. Funds raised go to the restoration of the ecological balance and the development of tourist infrastructure.
In addition, in China, in order to reduce deforestation, the government levy a tax on chopsticks, and in Latvia collect a special tax on owners of cattle, scientists have found that intestinal gases cows are dangerous for the environment.
Health care citizens
Often the introduction of custom taxes dictated not only by the desire to replenish the Treasury, but also attempt to instill in local residents a useful habit. For example, in Hungary in the last six years a tax on fast food, which aims to reduce the number of people consuming harmful products.
A tax on tanning operates in America, where the authorities are thus trying to deal with the fashion for tanning, which can be dangerous for the skin. And the fee for plastic surgery get paid in South Korea, where such operations are becoming more popular. However, he probably dictated not so much by concern for the health of citizens, as the popularity of these services among tourists. The country now operates many clinics, including working with foreign patients.
Fee for the lack of a stamp in the passport
The government often resorted to special taxes, in order to change the demographic situation in the country, to deal with the incident, according to the government, morals, or collect funds to support large families.
A tax on civil marriage was introduced in the mid 1990-ies in China to compete with the growing fashion for cohabitation without marriage.
To pay a penalty of about €120 per year should be unregistered couples living together. While a vigilant neighbors can take an active part in the replenishment of the Treasury, informing the authorities about living in the neighborhood of lovers.
In the Soviet Union has long operated a tax on childlessness — it was introduced in 1941 to raise funds for aid to mothers of large families. Without children men and women aged 20 to 45 years pay the state 6% of their income up to 1992.
Tax on illegal and questionable activities
Tax for drug dealers exist in the US. For this article income in us tax return even there is a separate line. Trade itself psychotropic drugs in this country remains illegal. Payment of tax does not relieve the taxpayer from liability if he is caught, but it can serve as a mitigating circumstance.
In Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands there is also a tax, albeit permitted, but questionable from an ethical point of view activity. Special payments there are subject of prostitution: to go to work on the “red light district”, you must first pay a fee to the city budget.
The tax on witchcraft
The only country in the world whose citizens pay tax on names, is a Sweden — where the fee is paid by parents who give children weird names, the recitation of which brings discomfort to other people.
The tax system in Sweden is one of the oldest in the world — data on taxpayers, stored in local archives that date back to the times of the Vikings.
The tax paying world citizens of the Republic of Guinea, located in West Africa.
Each year lived without war, costing them 700 Belgian francs. And the inhabitants of the Netherlands, wishing to enlist the help of supernatural forces, will have to pay tax on witchcraft.