Source: O Globo, 15/03/2009

Late Wednesday afternoon, Deputy Tadeu Filipelli (PMDB-DF) was at the floor of the Chamber and read his opinion on Provisional Measure 449, which relieves tax debts of less than R $ 10. He had barely started and was interrupted by the session's president, Inocêncio de Oliveira, informing him that the debate would continue at 19 pm, when an extraordinary session would begin.

That session did not take place and the matter stayed for this week.

Anyone who followed the episode from afar will hardly have realized what was at stake. Between the arrival of MP 449 and the drafting of a new text by the deputies, a tax monstrosity arose, a Roman feast of tax evaders and an assault on the Viúva Stock Exchange. What was a mechanism for rescheduling small debts and forgiveness for small taxpayers who owed R $ 10 has turned into a shape for all swindlers, of any amount. According to the new wording, those who owe R $ 100 million to the Revenue will be able to join the new system and will have all fines reduced on a scale ranging from 30% to 100%.

The tax evader can close the account in 15 years. There's more: the government wanted the debit balance to pay Selic interest (11,25%). In the new version, it is intended to apply the TJLP (6,25%). It's the financial perpetual bike.

The person withholds tax, invests the money at the Selic rate, pays for the TJLP and there is still some left over.

The relief for those who owe up to R $ 10 and the payment of small debts would yield some savings for the Widow, as she would no longer spend on the collection bureaucracy.

With the deputies' feast, it can be estimated that, this year, the blow will be around R $ 10 billion.

This is without taking into account the devastation that the bailout of tax evaders imposes on the federal tax collection machine.

These days, when citizens fulfill their duty to submit their income tax returns to the IRS, the Chamber of Deputies, driven by the PMDB's pursuit of diligence, shows that paying tax is a sucker program. The best deal is duty, to go to the beach and wait for the next festival.

Proposal: tomorrow the government leadership will go to the microphone and inform that he does not vote for the substitute reported by Deputy Filipelli. Let the original text of the MP go to vote.