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According to Mohr and Fourie (2004), the tax burden should be spread equitably among the various

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According to Mohr and Fourie (2004), the tax burden should be spread equitably among the various taxpayers. Equitability (fairness) can be described using two principles, the ability to pay principle and the benefits received principle.

Benefits received principle, according to Case et al (2014), is a fairness/equity theory that says citizens should contribute in proportion to the benefits that they receive from the public expenditure. E-Tolling is a good example of this as it conforms to the benefits received principle, where e-toll users pay for their usage of the toll roads in proportion to the benefits they derive/receive. SANRAL is charging a levy/tax that has to be paid for the usage of the road. If you use the road more than other …show more content…

Tax systems should not discriminate between people within the same income range (they are similar with respect to their ability to pay) and their tax rate should be the same. For example, income taxes are proportional within particular income ranges. This means that citizens in the same income range will bear the same tax burden.

Vertical equity is a principle that says citizens with a greater ability to pay taxes should pay more (Case et al, 2014). According to Parry, I.W.H. 2008, toll fees are unfair from the perspective of vertical equity, given that everyone faces the same toll fees regardless of their income. The poor pays the same 30c/km as the rich, even though the rich have a greater ability to pay. For example, income taxes are progressive in nature, meaning that they conform to vertical equity. This means that higher income earners will bear a higher tax burden while lower income earners will bear a lower tax burden.

E-Toll rates are charged at a flat rate of 30c/km and this means that it’s neither vertically nor horizontally equitable. The poor ends up paying a higher proportion of their income compared to the rich and this in turn makes e-Tolling regressive, even though the rich have greater ability to pay.

The vertical and horizontal equity principles stem from the ability to pay principle and both systems seem to be fair.
2.4 The tax incidence of an

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