Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/825117
WWW.MALTATODAY.COM.MT WEDNESDAY EDITION €1.00 Newspaper post WEDNESDAY • 17 MAY 2017 • ISSUE 528 • PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY PAGE 4 ELECTIONS DAYS TO GO 17 Corruption is main issue for voters No over-riding issue sways 28% of Labour voters when voting JAMES DEBONO ASKED to state the main issue on which they will be voting in the forthcom- ing general election, 42% of respondents either replied corruption or the Panama scandal. The results emerge from a survey held among 750 respondents contacted last week. MaltaToday's survey re- veals that PN voters are more focused on a single is- sue than PL voters, 28% of whom cannot even mention one single issue which will motivate them on June 23. This result could be an indication that the PN has managed to create a battle cry for its followers, while the PL is struggling to build a narrative for voters in an election which was called a year ahead of its time by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. While 59% of PN voters mention corruption as the issue affecting their vote, followed by 14% who men- tioned the Panama saga, Labour voters are divided between those whose main motivation is "lies" propa- gated by the other side (19%) and those who mention the economy and wealth (17%). The high percentage of La- bour respondents who refer to "lies" propagated by the other side is an indication that the Egrant case has also served to mobilise Labour voters. On the other hand an equal percentage of PL vot- ers are more motivated by the party's narrative based on its economic perfor- mance. Other Labour voters men- tioned their party's elec- toral proposals (8%) or the difference between party leaders (8%). While 16% of PN voters could not men- tion an over-riding issue affecting their vote, the per- centage rises to 28% among PL voters. PN voters PL voters All Corruption 58.9 9.1 34.6 Lies 3.3 18.8 10.6 Panama 13.5 2.3 7.2 Economy/Wealth 0.7 16.6 10.6 Proposals 0.7 8.3 5.2 Leaders 1.4 8.3 4.0 Others 5.6 8.3 8.0 Don't know 15.9 28.3 19.8 MAJOR CONCERNS OF VOTERS Parties pipe up on big tax giveaways MATTHEW VELLA THE tax cut is perhaps one of the easiest spells in the great big book of political wizardry. In 2003, shortly after losing the EU referendum, Labour leader Al- fred Sant promised a two-month tax holiday for anyone earning under Lm10,000 (€23,300), a move at the time estimated at around Lm25 mil- lion (€58 million) in a package that included both tax cuts and bonuses. Then deputy prime minister Law- rence Gonzi had dubbed the populist proposal "irresponsible". This year, the tax proposals feature in the parties' hit-list of goodies. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is pledging bonuses with a cheque at the end of the year that range from €200 to €340, that will affect eve- ryone earning up to €60,000 a year. Those working part-time as their main employment and earning up to €9,000 will get a bonus of €100 and tax on part-time jobs will be cut from 15% to 10%. Even low-income earners not paying tax will receive a grant. Masters' graduates will get a year's tax holiday once employed, while PhDs will get two years' sav- ings. As finance minister Edward Sciclu- na himself said it, Malta's riding a big wave that allows tax refunds. That is probably the same mind- frame of the Nationalist Party as well. Simon Busuttil will cut income tax to just 10% for someone earning up to €20,000, a measure he says will impact 121,000 workers at a total cost to the coffers of €44 million. Joseph Muscat promised tax rebates to all ranging from €200 to €340 Simon Busuttil said a new PN government will cut income tax to 10% for those earning up to €20,000