Secretary of State Marnix van Rij about the benefits affair and more expensive oat milk

Secretary of State Marnix van Rij about the benefits affair and more expensive oat milk

Marnix van Rij, Secretary of State for Taxation and Tax Administration, was a guest at the HvA on Friday afternoon. With Finance, Tax and Advice students from Amsterdam and Rotterdam, he spoke about the tax system, the benefits affair and our tax morals. “From an early age, I knew that I wanted to build a better society through politics. Because I believe we're in the world to do something for others, too. ' In the bright, spacious North Conservatory in the Corry Tendeloo House, Secretary of State Marnix van Rij speaks to students during Tax Week. The students, some of them from Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, came in large numbers to listen to the politician who therefore went to study law on Friday afternoon. 'I don't regret that to this day', says Van Rij. The Secretary of State, who supports the Minister of Finance in his role, studied tax law while studying tax law. He explains to the audience why. 'I wanted to contribute to the political system that is needed to raise taxpayers' money. And not because that is an end in itself, but because we can finance good provisions with those taxes. '“We are working hard to find solutions, the first victims are now getting their money back”Grote OpgaVeer, a microphone goes around the room. A student wonders why so many things are promised in politics when so little is being done. She is referring to dealing with the benefits affair. The audience claps encouragingly. The CDA administrator understands what the student is alerting. “It's about trust in the tax authorities and it's up to us to restore that trust. When I took this position a year ago, I knew that I was facing a big challenge.” Van Rij: 'I can say that solutions are being worked very hard, the first victims are now getting their money back. But unfortunately, things also sometimes take longer. I need a legal basis to arrange certain compensation. It takes a year and a half to make a law. I have set the goal to solve the past Fraud Signaling Facility within three years. That should be completed by the end of next year; I'm on top of that as Secretary of State. ''Fortunately, tax morality is still really high in the Netherlands'The politician explains that, at the same time, he is aware that he will not be able to solve everything during his three-year term. For example, he was also confronted with the old ICT system that is lagging behind in terms of technology. The computer system should ensure that one billion euros in tax money comes in every day.Critical students in the room are critical and the Secretary of State is pleased. Van Rij understands and acknowledges the crumbled image of the tax authorities, but he believes it is important to make it clear that support for paying taxes does not disappear, he says after the lecture when I speak to him.Van Rij: “Fortunately, tax morals are still really high in the Netherlands, many people find it important to pay tax money. But that is not a given. So it's up to us, politicians, to make it clear over and over again what we're spending the money raised on. “Paying taxes is part of a decent society, he says, to explain it again. “You couldn't be a student and enjoy education if no taxes were paid.” Onvredevan Rij notes, even from this room of students, that there is dissatisfaction with the government in general. “People say: I pay taxes, so do the right things as a government. That is, of course, something we are working hard on as a cabinet. But I sometimes notice that taxes are mentioned when it comes to major, underlying dissatisfaction. Discontent about a government or politics that doesn't deliver. “Does this attitude annoy him? Van Rij: “Yes, sometimes. Sometimes I don't think it's entirely fair. I've traveled extensively for work, to the United States, Africa, the Middle East, and across Europe. Every time I came back to the Netherlands, I saw what a beautiful and prosperous country we live in. Are we having problems? Yes. Are things not going well here? Yes. But sometimes it's important to go outside your own shores to realize how good we are here. “The Secretary of State has a full agenda and needs to move on quickly. At the last minute, I ask him another concrete question: why is the government planning to introduce a so-called lemonade tax on oat milk? While cow's milk and chocolate milk remain exempt from the tax increase. Van Rij gives the impression that the last word has not been said about that yet: “Wait what we come up with,” he says, leaving the room laughing. POSTED BY MAJA DE GOEDE ON MAY 30, 2023