The study took into consideration the relative corporate income tax, capital tax, sales tax, property tax and miscellaneous local business tax burdens of those countries, along with the statutory labor costs.

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The only way to achieve a major shift in the balance of funding is to supplement a reformed council tax with either a re-localised business rate or a local income tax - or a combination of both.

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When the regent of Gianyar in Bali introduced a "one-stop service" in the early 1990s for business licensing and permits, local tax revenues jumped by 70%.

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Moreover, a number of countries permit intra-group structures generating large local deductions for interest and royalties, thereby significantly lowering the tax costs of business operations in their countries.

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The AP news agency quoted a local doctor as saying he was outraged when a tax collector tried to charge him a higher rate than that paid by local business owners.

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As well as the changes to business rates relief, the act has given local authorities the power to increase the council tax on homes that have been empty for a year or more by up to 100%.

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As well as the changes to business rates relief, the bill will give local authorities the power to increase the council tax on homes that have been empty for a year or more by up to 100%.

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The bill gives local authorities the power to keep some of the money they raise from business rates in their area, and allows them to replace council tax benefit with their own local schemes.

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Attracted by the potential of doing more business with Africa's rising middle class, Singapore rolled out tax breaks and other initiatives to prod local investors in that direction.

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