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So this was discussed previously on the French side in clothes stores whereby they are legally enforced to charge this. fair enough but my question is that in most(actually all come to think of it)restaurants on the french side I don’t see this added to the bill but have on two occasions recently seen it added in GC. Don’t often look mind you that closely and perhaps I should. Wanted to know what the deal is here?
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Simply enough, they are using it as a way to raise prices. I don't recall ever seeing it as a line item on a restaurant bill before, but they are using it to make more money. The restaurant has to PAY it, yes, but it has not been listed as a separate item on a bill before, that I am familiar with. It has been included in their prices before. Prices in general since Irma seem to have gone through the roof in many places.
Carol Hill
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I was told they have to charge this and I questioned the owner stating that others don’t!!!!
hmmm, not right. It’s never the money with me but the ethics.
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Exactly. Same as when jimbo's used to add the tot to the bill as a separate line item.
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I was told they have to charge this No, THEY HAVE TO PAY THIS! all of these businesses have been paying this to the French side government for years and it has been included as a cost of doing business, no different than rent or electric or anything else that is a cost of doing business. Now companies are breaking this out as a line item on their receipts as an easy way to bump up their revenue stream by an easy 4% and act like they are innocent. It is just a dishonest money grab.
Be Happy! Simply because you deserve to be. 😁
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This is from the Com: The existing value added tax (VAT) system in the European Union is not applicable in Saint Martin. On the other hand, there is a turnover tax known as the general turnover tax (TGCA), the rate of which is low (4%), which in practice reaches retail sales of goods Of services.
This tax makes use of concepts close to those governing VAT as regards its scope, the definition of taxable persons, the rules governing its operative event and its exigibility and the rules on territoriality.
This tax is neutral for businesses with respect to retail sales (which are taxable only). Companies only collect it from their clients and transfer it to the public accountant of the community.
The same applies to the provision of services invoiced to private individuals. On the other hand, companies that use service providers (bookkeepers, telephone operators, subcontractors, etc.) or acquire fixed assets bear the TGCA invoiced by their suppliers. The latter is not attributable to the collected TGCA But is only deductible from taxable income (in the form of an expense or amortization expense). Based on this it looks like a standard value added tax. In Canada with have GST/HST which can either be included in the price, or added to the price. It sounds like the TGCA works the same way. So as a consumer, if you are wanting to compare prices, you need to know if it is included in the advertised/menu price or not included. The description above makes it clear this is a tax on the consumer collected by the business. I don't think what is being described in the French side restaurants is as dishonest/unethical as on the Dutch side where some are trying to make the 15% service charge sound like a tax rather than a tip. (source: http://www.com-saint-martin.fr/en/ressources.php?categorie=3)
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bdeeley--yes, exactly, as I said. Just a way to raise prices. On the Dutch side, there is actually a regulation (which apparently is not enforced) that says that the tax is specifically NOT supposed to be directly passed on to the consumer. No idea about the French side, but it's just a way to raise prices.
bran--which restaurants are charging it as a separate line item?
Carol Hill
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No idea about the French side, but it's just a way to raise prices. Carol, it seems pretty clear from the information above that the TGCA is supposed to be passed on to the consumer: "Companies only collect it from their clients and transfer it to the public accountant of the community"
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This isn't new. Been seeing it for a few years here and there.
Elaine
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God Bless the broken road....
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That's probably an English translation of a French law that might not necessarily track correctly. Regardless, as I said, I still think it's just a way to raise prices.
Carol Hill
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