States ‘does not need to tax food’

He says that given the unexpected £38m budget surplus and the £45m that GST will raise each year 12 months, the States can afford to agree to his proposition to exempt basic necessities from the 3% sales tax when it starts in May. Senator Shenton’s proposition is due to be debated on Tuesday, and a tight vote is expected given the narrow 28-23 defeat of the deferral proposition last week. ‘In the future we could have a £45m underpass and a grandiose art gallery – not much comfort if you are finding it difficult to feed your family,’ he said. ‘The art of politics is to always remember who you represent.