Luis Inacio Lula da Silva: Those who live off the sweat of their labor and actually build this country's wealth pay up to 27.5% in income tax.
Luis Inacio Lula da Silva: Meanwhile, those who live off investment income pay only an average of 2.5%.
Those who live in mansions, have money abroad, collect imported cars, already had private services and private jets, pay 10 times less than a teacher, a police officer or a nurse. Imagine someone fighting for decent housing, riding the bus, striving to buy a car and paying 10 times more income tax than the billionaires of our country. That is unacceptable. It needed to change and we are changing it.
Luis Inacio Lula da Silva: My friends, starting in January next year, what today is a deduction on the paycheck becomes extra money in the pocket.
Luis Inacio Lula da Silva: to travel with the family, eat what you like most, buy Christmas presents for the children, pay off a debt, get ahead on a payment, buy a bigger-screen television to watch the World Cup next year. This relief in income tax means more money in the pocket, which means greater purchasing power, which means higher consumption, which makes the economy turn.