The centrist CDS-PP political party wants to end the abuse of citizens by the tax authority which demands that people pay up now and argue later, whether tax is due or not.
The CDS-PP presented its proposal, part of its manifesto for the October 2019 general election, wishing to "end the abuses" of the Tax Authority.
The announcement formally will be made by the party's president, Assunção Cristas, at a press conference at the Assembly of the Republic in Lisbon and sets the party against the taxman – always a popular move.
Party luminary, Adolfo Mesquita Nunes, explains what the changes are: "The principle in Portugal is that the Treasury obliges citizens to pay first and then complain later, which leads to abuses.
"We can not accept that the taxpayer has to stump up money within the deadline for complaining,” when the amount demanded is erroneous or not due at all.
The second pledge is to prohibit the tax authority from freezing assets way over the amount of tax it deems is due.
An example, sent in by an algarvedailynews.com reader, showed that a disputed €40,000 tax bill, later later reduced to the correct and undisputed figure of €30,000, led to €750,000 of properties and bank account balances being frozen, thus hampering the ability to pay any amount at all and causing distress and financial stasis.
This mendacous action was disproportionate, caused reputational damage and stress and took months to unravel.
The CDS-PP mainifesto also adds a pledge that the tax authority should not seize a vehicle if this is the one usded to get to work, essential for family life or a company vehicle.
According to the proposal, the Tax Authority can not seize multiple bank accounts way in excess of the amount due, another of its sneaky and persecutory habits in which its managers delight as they and Finanças staff receive a percentage of money collected by 'coercive collections.'
A fifth proposal is for cases where the tax authority refuses to take into account money that it owes the taxpayer, as a credit against a tax demand - another gross abuse of its power but enshrined in current laws that clearly were drafted by sadists and authorised by fools.
These ideas mean some long overdue changes to the General Tax Law and reclamation codes to ensure that citizens are no longer bullied into submission and penury.
These popular manifesto pledges easily could be adopted by the ruling Socialist Party but it has little need to rock the boat as the prediction is that António Costa will be returned as Prime Minister in the October general election.
