Media conned – it was not a letter from very wealthy New Zealanders

NewstalkZB reports:

Not everyone who signed a letter asking for the rich to be taxed more heavily is mega wealthy.

The signatories described themselves as wealthy New Zealanders.

Tax Justice Spokesperson Glenn Barclay is one of them.

He says he’s not extremely wealthy, but is still probably in the top 10 percent of income earners.

“If the tax system was a bit more fair, I might find myself paying more tax. And I’d be happy to do that.”

The open letter was produced by Oxfam and Tax Justice Aotearoa. Half a dozen of those who signed are very wealthy, but many were just the normal suspects.

Take Barclay, a former PSA Secretary. If he is at the 90th percentile then his income is around $100,000. He is not even paying the top tax rate of 39% but instead the second top rate of 33%. So presumably he is urging for that 33% rate to be increased, which applies to all income over $70,000!