Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/205575
€0.90 WEDNESDAY EDITION WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT See Editorial - PAGE 11 TUESDAY • 5 NOVEMBER 2013 • ISSUE 339 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY MUSCAT KEEPS It was a non-controversial, 'feel-good' budget aimed at the middle-class, with tax cuts, more space for small businesses and promises to reward hard work cluna presented Joseph Muscat's first budget. A budget which focused on encouraging more women and middle-aged people to return to the labour market. The cherry on the cake was the radical change in electricity tariffs, and in a dig at former prime minister Tonio Fenech, Scicluna quipped that, "Alice in Wonderland would be reverting €25 million back to the consumer". The Budget also aims to incentivise businesses in, for example, projects set to enlist interns and apprentices, against a weekly wage increase of €3.49. There were minimal changes to income tax rates for part-timers and a bonus for first-time buyers, who would not have to pay duty on their first €150,000 spent. Against a backdrop of increased spending in education and health, the government also aims to encourage more individuals to seek employment, especially single women, women over 40 and men in the middle age segment. Childcare would be free as from next year, in a move especially designed to entice young mothers to seek out vacancies in the labour market. New steps included the first signs of reforming the dreaded warden system and a study of the airstrip in Gozo. There was also an indication of a re-haul of the present agricultural exchange (pitkalija). Every topic appears to have been tackled – with some receiving more attention than others. The government was aiming to have a €3.27 billion revenue against and expenditure of €3.41 billion. But the government was expected to borrow some €650 million. Cigarettes, alcohol and cement were targeted for price increases. There will also be a tax on cars which emit more carbon dioxide. But in general, the approach was to address the issue of tax evasion and encourage tax evaders to pay up. One interesting proposal was a reduced 7.5% tax for footballers. Other innovative suggestions included the introduction of an employability index, to gauge the job availabilities in the market. SEE FULL REPORT ON PAGES 2-10 Newspaper post YESTERDAY, Finance Minister Edward Sci- PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS MANGION 'EM HAPPY