The high oil price leaves its mark. We notice it during heating, but also at the pump. According to TCS, a liter of gasoline in Switzerland was CHF 2.38 (98 unleaded) on Thursday.
Nobody knows how inflation will continue, which currently stands at 2.9%. But: in the fall, many expect health insurance premiums to increase by 5 to 10 percent. And the price of electricity is also rising.
Less tax on mineral oils
According to the tenants’ association, heating with oil or gas alone is expected to be up to 1,200 francs more for families. It is difficult to do on a small budget. The parties are trying to financially take over the citizens of the army with various proposals.
One of the proposals is to halve or at least cut the tax on mineral oils by 35 centimes. The tax is almost 77 centimes per liter of gasoline and approximately 80 centimes per liter of diesel. The federal government collects CHF 4.5 billion annually from the mineral oil tax. Reducing the mineral oil tax by 35 centimes would cost the federal government more than 2 billion francs, according to responses from the Federal Council in previous years.
Poor people drive less
But what would such a tax cut on gasoline and diesel fuel bring? In 2005, the Federal Council doubted that the cut would be immediately and entirely passed on to consumers.
A look at Germany shows something similar. The introduction of the fuel price brake led to a short-term cut there, but after a week the price was the same again. According to media reports, only the margins of oil companies increased. Finance Minister Christian Lindner (43) considers it the duty of the Cartel Office to investigate the matter.
A rich step on gas
But even if the $ 2 billion discount reached the consumer, the wrong people would benefit. According to data from the Federal Statistical Office (BFS), 22 percent. households do not have a car at all – these are often poorer households. An average of 37 kilometers is driven daily, two thirds of which by car. According to BFS, people with low incomes below 4,000 francs drive 22.5 kilometers.
The highest income with a monthly salary of over 12,000 francs is 51.6 km. Those who earn more drive more, according to the FSO Mobility and Traffic Microcensus Study. In addition, poorer people find it difficult to afford such large fuel-efficient cars as wealthy people. Therefore, low-income people hardly benefited from the reduction in fuel prices.
«Federal Check»
The SP clearly wants to spend less than 2 billion francs in its “Check fédéral” model, in which 80 percent of the population can benefit from the tax break. Internal data shows that the Social Democrats are expecting a cost of 1.64 billion. Adults should get 260 francs, children 130 francs.
If you use the BFS data on the annual mileage of different property groups and calculate fuel consumption per 5 liters per 100 kilometers and a saving of 35 centimes per liter, you will save 1.75 francs per 100 kilometers. The various effects of the Federal Check and Mineral Oil Tax Reduction are as follows:
- A family with two children and a gross income of 4500 francs, without a car:
“Federal Check” 780 francs; Savings in the mineral oil tax of 0 francs - Family with two children, gross income of 8,000 francs, with 10,000 kilometers driven annually:
“Federal Check” 780 francs; Savings on the mineral oil tax of 175 francs - A pair of two earners, income of 8,000 francs gross, with 10,000 kilometers traveled per year:
“Federal Check” 520 francs; Savings on the mineral oil tax of 175 francs - A pair of two earners, gross income of 15,000 francs, for 25,000 kilometers traveled per year:
«Federal check» 0 francs; Savings in the mineral oil tax of CHF 437.50
Don’t subsidize the rich
SP economic politician Samira Marti (28) also says the federal figures are clear: low earners would not benefit at all or only minimally from the reduction in the mineral oil tax. “Those who suffer the most from high energy and food prices and who can no longer afford the expected spike in health insurance prices,” would lose.
Anyone who covers 50,000 kilometers a year, which statistically only the rich do, gets 875 francs. “The SVP proposal would primarily promote the margins of the oil companies and the rich who drive the most and largest cars,” says the national councilor.
He highlights: “On the other hand, those who need money, with or without a car, use the federal check.” Unlike the SVP, their SP does not want to subsidize the super-rich, for whom inflation is irrelevant anyway, but rather relieve the normal and low-income.