What utter bullshit.
That’s the first thing that came to mind when I read this opinion piece on Today.
In it, the author bemoans his misfortune of living in a landed property that’s fully paid off. He argues that the government shouldn’t base property taxes on your address. He complains about the assistance those who live in big houses never get.
WTF?
You don’t get to talk about living in luxury (or ‘comfortable’ as he calls it) and then complain about higher taxes.
You’re living in a landed property, with no mortgage (or any sort of debt hanging) and you get to live there for as long as you want. That’s still not enough? How much bullshit is there?!
Then the guy talks about his mum, her regrets and pitiful, meagre existence.
So let me get this straight…the mum complains on missing out on a few hundred dollars per year while she’s living with her family in a landed property? Oh how sad.
That aside, why is she’s even using her savings to pay for things while living with her family? The author even admits it by saying they give her too little.
Come on, how is this an issue? Nobody can give her more money? I smell bullshit.
Holy shit! So you mean all this time us poor folk living in regular HDB housing have been getting free beer?! Why wasn’t I informed?!
Hey bro, us HDB residents don’t even own our damn houses. On top of that, most of us owe the HDB money that we pay monthly, and at the end of the damn lease, the HDB gets the house back.
That’s just us normal middle class folks.
The lower income among us are pretty much living from hand to mouth monthly. I personally know people like this and you think you have looming financial problems?
So what if some of those living in landed properties bought them when they were cheaper? Does that give them a pass when they can just sell off the property and live in a HDB?
It’s a problem that’s easily solved.
Here you are complaining that you have a house big enough to fit three generations (and expecting a fourth) but unable to pay the increased tax because you’re retiring?
Does the government owe you a living?
Why not follow this maxim? If you can’t afford it, then move.
Nobody’s forcing you to stay in that property. You’ll get all the rebates and financial assistance you qualify for if you move. Head on over to the HDB and apply for a rental studio apartment.
Or how about this?
You say you’re living with your kids? Why can’t you get them to contribute instead of just freeloading? They have jobs right? They live there right?
It’s not very much, so what’s the issue of getting them to chip in?
There doesn’t seem to be a problem other than the author not wanting to pay more taxes.
When you’re working a cushy job, living in a plush house surrounded with family and then complain of money problems? That just shows how entitled you are.
Do you know how many of us regular working joes would kill for a chance to live a life like that?
I’d gladly trade my dinky HDB flat for the author’s house and pay all the damn taxes that entails. Gladly.
How about it?