> Every household has to pay a monthly fee even if they dont want to
Even if you don't own any screen or audio devices they still make you pay for it. I always fail to see how this isn't pure theft.
Even if you don't own any screen or audio devices they still make you pay for it. I always fail to see how this isn't pure theft.
> Even if you don't own any screen or audio devices they still make you pay for it. I always fail to see how this isn't pure theft.
The rationales is that you are benefiting from that service (public information) indirectly (other citizens make more informed decisions) even though you don't use it directly.
And, realistically, which household does not own a device that is able to receive a video via a web site?
BTW, you don't need to pay the Rundfunkbeitrag if, among others:
«* you receive BAföG and do not live with your parents, * for recipients of unemployment benefit II or social allowance benefits, * for recipients of social welfare benefits or basic subsistence benefits ("Grundsicherung"), * for recipients of assistance to blind people according to § 72 German Code of Social Law XII.»
Source: https://www.studentenwerk-hannover.de/en/en-social/en-reduct...
That said, it is high time that these kind of levies get converted into normal taxes and progressively taxed like everything else. Why should the €30k/year household contribute as much to the public information as the €200k/year household?
It's like if you received a letter asking you 10 euros a month for building schools, another 15 euros for building new public buses, another 15 for a new train line. All these things are taken from your salary before it even reaches your bank account so why is this tv/radio thing any other way? We're already paying insane amount of tax in gerrmany, asking for 17 euros per months for thing like this on the side is an insult.
I'm sure there's a million issues I haven't thought of, but I like the idea.