By JOÃO CARLOS LOEBENS*
Every public policy must be monitored to verify the good allocation of resources
The end of the year is approaching, Christmas time, joy, action planning and the end of the current cycle, as well as the base period for calculating income tax. What good could we still do? There is the possibility of doing a good deed until December 28th.
According to the Federal Constitution, Income Tax must be shared between the three entities of the Federation, and should be the main source of financing for the Union (Federal Revenue). Of the payment of Income Tax, approximately 50% goes to the federal government, 25% to the state government and 25% to the municipal government.
Unfortunately, since 1988, “tax reform” laws (although without that name) have been reducing Income Tax, reducing the resources of states and municipalities. At the same time, taxes on consumption were increasing, with the creation of non-shared COFINS, a tax invasion by the Federal Revenue Service in the tax jurisdiction of states and municipalities (unconstitutionality).
These post-Constitution tax reforms, reducing taxation on high incomes (rich) and increasing taxation on consumption (federal COFINS), made the tax system regressive, charging more from the poorest and less from the richest. This is another unconstitutionality, as the Federal Constitution determines that the tax system is progressive – it should charge more from the richest.
Regardless of this deformation and unconstitutionalities not corrected by the current tax reform, there is provision in the Income Tax legislation for the donation of a portion of the tax due to programs to combat poverty and reduce social inequalities, objectives expressed in art. 3rd of the Constitution.
In a simple way and at no additional cost, it is possible to allocate part of the amount of income tax to be paid or refunded, for example, to projects aimed at serving children and adolescents, through Funcriança (Municipal Fund for the Rights of Children and Adolescents). A small action from you can make a difference in the actions developed by entities dedicated to building the basis of a better Brazil.
I make a donation to the Belém Novo Community and Cultural Center, located in the south of Porto Alegre, which has already trained more than 1.700 students in computer reconditioning, the main course they offer to the community.
Every public policy must be monitored to verify the good allocation of resources. In the case of the region where the Belém Novo Community and Cultural Center is located, there is also a project to donate to a tennis school, which in my opinion does not represent a good example of the application of public resources from Income Tax donations.
If possible, make your donation, being careful when choosing the entity, remembering that, despite being a private entity, these are public resources transferred by you directly, without going through the control of the federal, state and municipal governments. Your donation helps build a better Brazil.
*Joao Carlos Loebens is a doctoral student in economics and tax auditor at the State Revenue Service of Rio Grande do Sul.
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