Gaudalquitón, Our Nature Reserve & A Very Funny Guy
by pinkagendist
I mentioned our nature reserve earlier today, which has fortunately been saved. I’m not really very ‘nature’ inclined, I’m more of an air-conditioning, overstuffed upholstery, I’d like a gin & tonic sort of person- but anyway…
I was looking for pictures of the reserve and I ended up on a very amusing blog. A fellow wordpresser who wrote about the area and took some great pictures. Apparently we have some species of plants here that exist nowhere else in the world. I’ve never seen them personally because I don’t really have appropriate footwear to visit the area down the street from me- but anyway. WordPress guy made me laugh, spit my wine out laugh. In his words: “Para aquel que no conozca Sotogrande, y en menor medida la Alcaidesa, informarle que son urbanizaciones de superlujo, que cada vez que he ido por ahí me he dicho esta vez me paran y me multan por pobre. En fin, un buen lugar para observar e identificar esa rara avis del millonario.”- “For he who doesn’t know Sotogrande, and to a lesser degree Alcaidesa, I’d like to inform you it’s an über-luxury development. Every time I’ve been there I told myself, oh no, it’s going to be this time, they’re going to stop me and fine me for being poor. In any event, it’s a good place to identify and observe the rara avis that is the millionaire…” He says more than that, but I chose to suppress the rest 
I’d like to reassure him that poor people aren’t fined in Sotogrande (except in August or if they come too close to one of the houses, or if they try to speak to the residents).
In other interesting news I heard an American on television saying they pay a lot of income tax there. Side-bar- Americans pay the lowest income tax rates of any developed country. An American who makes between 85 and 178K pays the same rate as a Spaniard who makes between 17 and 33 thousand euros. A Spaniard who makes more than 53,400 euros per year pays into the 47% tax bracket + property taxes + local taxes. Post war Britain had tax brackets that went all the way up to just over 80%. France has instituted a 75% tax bracket this year. Right wing republicans need to get a grip. People who have more can pay more, that’s the deal.
But surely the hoi oligoi don’t pay tax – I thought that was for the hoi polloi
You’re right. The big fortunes (and many politicians) file taxes under something called PYMES, and end up paying 10%. But people who work on a more normal scale, like me, have to pay in full. And you know what? I’m not complaining. I’m happy to pay -as long as- I know the money is being used for people who actually need it. I want it in health and education and to treat the cancer of the lady who works the till at the supermarket- I don’t want it to go to bankers or into the pockets of politicians so they can come and be my neighbours…
Too true, nobody wants politicians for neighbours
Although I earn far less than the upper range and we pay higher taxes in Canada than the US, I find myself arguing more often these days with my co-workers about fair taxation. I don’t mind paying a higher rate.
We shouldn’t really argue. The difference to some of us is whether we buy smoked salmon or smoked trout, while to other people it’s whether they have heating or live in the cold…
I know, it’s easy to be judgementa, I just don’t like the direction toward conservatism that our western countries seem to be taking. Inequality seems to be growing.
I phrased that badly… I meant : there should be no argument on paying more tax because it’s only the people who make more who pay more. If I pay more tax, I might have to make a small adjustment, but that’s nothing compared to the people at the bottom of the pyramid who are struggling with the basics
I agree, people who have more should pay more.
[...] I mentioned our nature reserve earlier today, which has fortunately been saved. I’m not really very ‘nature’ inclined, I’m more of an air-conditioning, overstuffed upholster… [...]
Sotogrande looks like an incredible place. Very beautiful.
It used to be three neighbouring farms, from the hills all the way down to the sea. On one side we have the nature reserve and on the others we’re surrounded by other smaller protected green zones, so even though the area has been urbanized, it feels like you’re out in the countryside. We live right on the edge of a green zone, so our garden just blends into the forest area. Occasionally a wild fox (or some other animal) goes by and the dogs go crazy.
Wow it sounds like a great place to live.
As an American, I am probably a novelty in that I believe we should definitely pay higher taxes. Americans are ridiculous in their almost allergic reaction to them.
I loved your comments about tax.
I wonder if our American cousins realise that one reason Greece is now a basket case is because all those who could avoid paying tax did so. Food for thought.
And yet, the American right presents Greece as a ‘socialist’ state- entirely ignoring that what Greece actually did was implement right wing non-taxation strategies, albeit under the table…
Yes, it’s amazing how things get twisted when expediency is involved.