Author: Carlos Alberto Sardenberg

Source: Globo.com, 18/12/2007

To clarify: without the CPMF, it is not the country that loses revenue of R $ 40 billion, as President Lula and the governor of Rio, Sérgio Cabral are saying. Who loses is the federal government, a very different entity.

If the CPMF is extinguished, the R $ 40 billion that would be collected next year will not disappear. Simply, instead of going to the government coffers, taxpayers remain in the accounts of companies and people. And many people think that people and companies will make better use of these resources.

It is also false to say that only 7 million wealthy Brazilians will pay the CPMF, if it is maintained. These are the ones who pay directly. But since the CPMF is levied on all payments, this cost is embedded in the price of goods and services.

Who pays the tax to the Revenue is not necessarily the same who is paying. Obvious example: telephone companies collect about 40% of their revenue from Revenue. But the real taxpayer is the consumer who pays the phone bill, in which taxes are embedded.

When an automaker pays for tires, it dies with the CPMF. When the tire manufacturer buys rubber and petrochemicals, it pays CPMF. When the bean distributor buys the plastic bags, he dies with the CPMF. The contribution goes to all transactions and is obviously in the price of the product. So, anyone who buys something, is paying the CPMF.

It is also false to say that money for health will be lacking without the CPMF. The federal government will continue to have a lot of money and choice. For example, instead of allocating funds to the Pharaonic Judiciary buildings, you can give that money to schools. There are so many choices to make.