but they're expensive

但他們都很貴

and governments across the world

而全世界的政府

are feeling the pinch.

都因此負荷不了

So, how can we continue in the future

所以我們要如何才可以在未來

to afford good quality public services?

繼續提供高品質的公共服務呢？

Why has pressure on public services increased?

為什麼公共服務的壓力遽增呢？

Populations are aging.

人口在老化

As the number of retirees grows,

當退休人員的數字增加

working people are going to have to pay more taxes

勞動人口就得付出更多稅

to support them.

來支持他們

And as healthcare technology improves,

且當醫療科技進步

the cost of health care is also going to rise.

醫療保險的成本也將成長

But where to find the cash?

但要去哪找錢呢？

Basically governments can tax three things,

一般來說，政府可以從三件事情中抽稅

income, consumption or wealth.

所得收入、消費額或財產

It's not your imagination.

這不是你的想像

Income taxes really have been increasing

所得稅真的在過去 50 年

over the past 50 years.

不斷增加

The evidence shows that taxes on income

數據顯示所得稅

including corporation tax discourage people from working.

包含公司所得稅會降低人們工作誘因

Countries with low income taxes

一些低所得稅的國家

such as the UK tend to have stronger economic growth.

像是英國，傾向有更強大的經濟成長

Second, consumption.

第二個，消費額

This is things like sales tax in America

這就像是美國的營業稅

or value-added tax on purchases in Europe.

或歐洲購物的增值稅

One problem with consumption taxes

消費稅有一個問題是

is that they hit poor people hardest

他們對窮人的打擊最大

who spend more of their income on day-to-day expenses.

因為他們便是一天會花費最多所得的人

Third, we have wealth taxes.

第三，我們有財產稅

This could be a better idea

比起在所得稅及消費稅上多課稅

than taxing income or consumption.

這可能是個好一些的主意

This is partly because it places a higher levy

這有部分是因為財產稅

on the things that rich people have

對富人徵了更重的稅

such as property, and investments.

像是財產跟投資等

Some economists advocate something called a land value tax

有些經濟學家提倡一個叫地價稅

and this is basically where you tax

這基本上是依照你所在土地區域

the value of plots of land

的價值去徵稅

and this can raise a lot of money.

而且這能夠籌到許多錢

A land value tax

地價稅

has very few unintentional bad consequences.

有非常少、無心的壞結果

The problem is that taxing wealth

這個問題是課財產稅

is not politically easy.

在政治操作上沒這麼簡單

Homeowners, for instance, are gonna be furious

舉例來說，房地產所有人若被要求付高一點的財產稅

if they're asked to pay higher property taxes

他們會相當憤怒

but if people want good government services,

但若人們想要優質的政府服務

it's gonna need money.

這就需要錢

Taxes on wealth are always unpopular

徵收財產稅一向不被受歡迎

but sooner or later, governments

但遲早政府

are going to have to bite the bullet.

必須硬著頭皮這樣做