Tax for TV and Radio

Germany is known as a high tax country. So if you have a high salary, don’t be too excited so fast cause you’ll then pay high amount of tax. But that’s OK maybe, because infrastructure in Germany is very good anyway. At least, we can see that our tax is used for something real.

But what makes me surprise, Germany really make tax out of everything. Even for having TV and radio!!! My German friends say that the tax office will send a letter. If we claim that we don’t have TV or radio, then they might come randomly to check!!!

However, the good thing is, they can’t enter your place if you don’t give any permission. So if there’s a stranger come, don’t let her or him in.

Hmmm… now I remember about the same situation in Indonesia. Before the reformation era, there’s always a lady who come to collect tax for TV. However, I think it’s only my house in the neighborhood that pays the TV’s tax. And after 1998, I never have seen anyone come to collect the tax. Maybe hiring someone to collect costs more than the tax income.

Once, my father wants to register his radio for tax purpose. But then he was asked to give copy of purchase and the series number of the radio. My father was perplexed and his mood was deteriorated. Since then, taxing radio is out of question for him.

For me, I think it’s too much now to tax TV and radio. Imagine, almost every electronic device can have radio or TV on it, like cell phone, internet, or even refrigerator! Do you have to pay for all of those? C’mon! Beside, in Indonesia, even people in remote islands can have those things. If the government can’t even provide teachers or doctors, then don’t ever dream to send tax collector there!