Some discussion of the Isle of Man Government’s budget last week. I think it’s important to recognise and congratulate the Government when they do good things, and not just criticise.

Thus:

  • It was good that the Isle of Man Government has not imposed any new income tax increases (although many fees and charges were increased).
  • It was bad that the Isle of Man Government is cutting the pay of key essential workers.
  • It was ugly that the public could only see the budget documents for a few hours between them being made public, and them being rubber-stamped by Tynwald.

Manx Radio reported:

Michael Josem appeared as a panellist at a Liberal Vannin Question Time event to discuss the Manx budget on Thursday (25 February) evening.

He said: “There was the good, the bad and the ugly.

“The good thing is unreservedly the government does not appear to have imposed any wide-ranging income or corporate tax hikes.

“The last thing after a year of economic harm for many people would have been the introduction of a new Covid tax and it is very good that the government has resisted any urge to introduce such a thing.”

‘The good, the bad and the ugly’ budget

EnergyFM and ThreeFM each ran the same story, but with different photographs. Go figure.

Michael Josem is a long-term consumer advocate, most prominently as a global leader in combating fraud in the online gambling industry. He was in part the inspiration for the 20th Century Fox Movie, Runner Runner, starring Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake.

Josem has over a decade of experience as a senior business leader working across various high-tech and online industries, and takes action to build a better community. His primary volunteer roles include service for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and Graih, the homelessness charity.