NewsletterJune 2009

Photo of the Month – Colza Field in Burgundy

Photo was taken on May 1st. Find other photos I took of colza in Burgundy at my flickr account.

That time of year again (In France)

Tax time has arrived in France. Tax returns needed to be mailed by May 29th. Returns can also be sent on line; deadline depends on location and is organized by school zone. Zone A June 11th, zone B June 25th and zone C June 18th.
We received our tax forms just a few weeks before the deadline, as seems to always be the case. France has a slightly different income tax (impôt sur le revenu) system than in the US. French income taxes aren’t taken out at the source. Total income is declared and then if need be taxes are paid.
Along with our tax forms we also received a simplified copy of the French budget and a letter from Éric Woerth who has the long title of Minister of Budget, Public Accounts and the Public Service.
The budget for 2009 has a deficit of €103.8 billion with expenditures at €370.4 billion and revenues at €266.3 billion.
Biggest expenditures: education and research (€84 billion), territorial collectivities – funding for France’s regions, departments, overseas territories, provinces and communes (€54.7 billion), debt payment (€44.6 billion) and defense (€37.3 billion). There is also €14.6 for economic stimulus and a €6.7 billion loan to car manufactures.
Revenue: TVA* (€126.7 billion) - France’s value added tax (Taxe sur la valeur ajoutée), personal income taxes (€50.4 billion), business taxes (€37.4) and TIIP (€15.1 billion) – a French acronym for Taxe intérieure de consommation sur les produits pétroliers. This is a tax on certain petroleum products.
For any one who wants to know more about the French budget there is an online game you can play - Le jeu Cyber-Budget.
* The Wikimedia entry for VAT has an explanation of the difference between sales tax and value added tax.

Sheep Shearing

As happens every year there was sheep shearing at my brother in law’s farm in May. You can see photos I took.

European Elections 2009

On June 7th voters in France will elect 72 euro deputies who will represent France in the European Parliament. The European Parliament consists of 736 deputies.
This election really isn’t exciting the voters and it is predicted that turnout will be low, very low. Possibly lower than in 2004 when only 41% of those eligible voted. This can be blamed on a number of reasons, the biggest is probably the perceived abstract nature of the European Parliament and the fact that most voters don’t know what the role of a Euro deputy is or how European law can affect daily lives. I have more on this election including photos.

Amusing Names

France has a number of villages and towns that have amusing names or bring out the French fondness for word play – les jeux des mots. Condom in the Gers department being the one that is easy to spot if you are an English speaker. Other names include the villages of Poisson – fish and Avril – April who are sistered. In French Poisson de Avril means April Fools. So it’s like the sistering of the villages of April and Fools. By the way there is a village named Folles, the French feminine adjective for crazy.
Others are Chapeau – French for hat, Cheval-Blanc – white horse, Le Compas – the compass and my favorite Montcuq – often pronounced as mon cu meaning my ass!
There is even a village in France with just one letter – Y and 15 with two letters from Ay to Uz.
There is an association of communities with amusing names: Association des communes de France aux noms burlesques et chantants and an affiliated web site.

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