Labour to Tax Water

[Joshuatree]

Jeez this is frustrating. We have been over this. You are not paying for the water, you are paying for the infrastructure.

So let me rephrase - how much more are you prepared to pay?

For me I'd Be happy to double the royalty no prob.

[minimoke]

For me I'd Be happy to double the royalty no prob.

Good on you for being prepared to put your money where your mouth is. Your $1 contribution would go some way but not a long way

[blackcap]

For me I'd Be happy to double the royalty no prob.

How do you propose that the tax on dairy irrigation is levied?

[xafalcon]

How do you propose that the tax on dairy irrigation is levied?

Easy

Individual region pollution remediation cost / litres irrigated in the region X litres irrigated on the individual farm = individual farm irrigation tax. Spread tax bill equally over a number of years eg 20 years. The tax is levied on the farm, not the owner

But should also apply to non-irrigated farms because they are also very polluting

In non-irrigated areas it should be ratio'ed on head count and animal type

And all industries should make a contribution as well, based on effluent BOD or COD, suspended solids, toxic trace metals

[jonu]

Easy

Individual region pollution remediation cost / litres irrigated in the region X litres irrigated on the individual farm = individual farm irrigation tax. Spread tax bill equally over a number of years eg 20 years. The tax is levied on the farm, not the owner

But should also apply to non-irrigated farms because they are also very polluting

In non-irrigated areas it should be ratio'ed on head count and animal type

And all industries should make a contribution as well, based on effluent BOD or COD, suspended solids, toxic trace metals

That, however, is not a water tax. It is a livestock tax in the context of farmers.

[xafalcon]

That, however, is not a water tax. It is a livestock tax in the context of farmers.

I should have been clearer in my post.

The water tax was a subset of what I wrote "Individual region pollution remediation cost / litres irrigated in the region X litres irrigated on the individual farm = individual farm irrigation tax. Spread tax bill equally over a number of years eg 20 years. The tax is levied on the farm, not the owner"

The rest of the post was my opinion that all farmers should pay for their pollution, regardless of whether they irrigate or not. And is a livestock tax as you correctly point out

[blackcap]

The rest of the post was my opinion that all farmers should pay for their pollution, regardless of whether they irrigate or not. And is a livestock tax as you correctly point out

That would not be fair to the non-irrigators. The irrigators or those that cause the most problems will then increase their irrigating and game theory will purport that irrigation as a whole will increase. The opposite of what they (labour) want.

[xafalcon]

That would not be fair to the non-irrigators. The irrigators or those that cause the most problems will then increase their irrigating and game theory will purport that irrigation as a whole will increase. The opposite of what they (labour) want.

Life isn't fair

But I disagree with your game theory. Increase stock head-count = increase of livestock tax. Increase irrigation water use = increase in water tax. Rates don't necessarily need to be the same. If irrigators cause most of the problem, weight in favour of irrigators paying most of the remediation cost

KISS theory. Don't over-think

I think what "they" want is actually what most NZer's want. Cleaner rivers and lakes that have been degraded over decades of insufficient effluent and run-off control from the farming sector.

Failure to address this problem runs the risk of endangering our biggest export earner - tourism

Townies already pay their way through the waste water treatment portion of local body rates