Living in the City

Come April 15, something as sure as death will befall me and countless other business owners. It is that time of the year when we pay income tax for earning a perceived financial term called income. It's been quite an experience running a small business, something which my mother asked me to continue for her. Believe you me it has not been easy. Every y ear I scratch my head hoping to find a nice and glorious statement in my accounting books that say I did earn something. Heck. For the last couple of years, there' s really been nothing:-( Truth be told, our small operations have been in the red for some months now. New equipment, new services, new products, new anything as long as it would help the business, we have tried implementing. The thing is the tax people find it hard to believe that the business didn't earn anything as we declare every year. I have been thinking of what to do next. Shall I sell the business? Shall I change the nature of the business like going to...

Our local broadsheet yesterday reports that the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging our government to "raise the excise tax on cigarettes, saying" our "measly tax was not helping the cause of fighting tobacco related diseases". Yes! Yes! Yes! According to the report our cigarette taxes are small compared to: Singapore - US$192.56 per 1,000 sticks Brunei - US$39.30 per 1,000 sticks Malaysia - US$23.29 per 1,000 sticks Philippines - US$2.42 up to 29.28 per 1,000 sticks More taxes, ergo more expensive cigarettes. Hopefully, less smokers. The real benefit from this move if ever, are the more substantive ones -- health. It far outweighs the hope that additional taxes from this industry will help boost our economy further. Sigh. But I am sure lobbyists are busy doing their thing again. Another sigh :-( But then again. Cheers!