The government made several final compromises in the proposed budget for the year 2002 late last night, and hopes to present it for a Knesset vote as early as this evening. The changes did not satisfy all the coalition members, however, and the Shas party plans to vote against it.
The new budget calls for a 12% cut in child allowances (the Finance Ministry had asked for 19%), a 30-shekel monthly tax on employer-supplied cell phones, and a special 1% tax on those earning more than 30,000 shekels per month. The Negev Laws still stand, but they were cut by 1/3. United Torah Judaism, like Shas, is against the child-allowance cuts, but is planning to vote in favor of the budget.
The new budget calls for a 12% cut in child allowances (the Finance Ministry had asked for 19%), a 30-shekel monthly tax on employer-supplied cell phones, and a special 1% tax on those earning more than 30,000 shekels per month. The Negev Laws still stand, but they were cut by 1/3. United Torah Judaism, like Shas, is against the child-allowance cuts, but is planning to vote in favor of the budget.