经济学人:英国的住房问题:进步空间(3)

 The government should also cut stamp duty, a land tax levied¹ on property transactions. 政府还应该削减印花税，即房产交易征收的土地税。

Over the long term the burden has risen, which is one reason why the rate of transactions has slumped². 从长期来看，这一负担增加了，这也是为什么交易量下降的原因之一。

Abolishing or replacing stamp duty would help more young families live in decent homes. 废除或取代印花税将帮助更多的年轻家庭住上体面的房屋。

Oldies could downsize at less cost, freeing up more of Britain's 25m or so empty bedrooms. 老年人可以以更低的成本缩减开支，腾出更多的英国2500万左右的空卧室。

And Westminster needs to do away with the perverse³ incentives⁴ arising from local-government taxation⁵, in particular the out-of-date system of council tax, which is levied on housing. 威斯敏斯特需要从政府税收中去除不当诱因的增长，尤其是那些征收房屋税的过时的政府税收体系。

Councils miss out on much of the extra local tax revenue from new houses, because it is hoovered up and redistributed by central government. 由于房产税收收入被中央政府吸收和重新分配，地方议会失去了许多额外的地方房产税收收入。

But they are lumbered⁶ with the cost of providing local services for newcomers. 但他们却因为为新来者提供本地服务的成本而步履维艰。

That should change. 这应该改变。

Councils should be allowed to charge taxes that reflect the true values of properties—and keep the proceeds. 地方议会应被允许收取反映房产真实价值的税收，并保留收益。

Economically straightforward⁷ is not the same as politically easy. 经济上的易行并不等同于政治上的易行。

Even so, Theresa May, the prime minister, has so far failed to show any mettle⁸ over housing. 即便如此，英国首相特里莎梅梅迄今为止仍未能在住房问题上表现出任何勇气。

Her government has proposed nothing more than tweaks to a broken system. 她的政府除了对一个支离破碎的系统进行微调之外，什么也没有提出。

This lack of leadership feeds a crisis that is entirely⁹ unnecessary. 这种领导力的缺失助长了一场完全没有必要的危机。

 

1 levied   

征（兵）( levy的过去式和过去分词 )； 索取； 发动（战争）； 征税

参考例句：

• Taxes should be levied more on the rich than on the poor. 向富人征收的税应该比穷人的多。
• Heavy fines were levied on motoring offenders. 违规驾车者会遭到重罚。

2 slumped   

大幅度下降，暴跌( slump的过去式和过去分词 )； 沉重或突然地落下[倒下]

参考例句：

• Sales have slumped this year. 今年销售量锐减。
• The driver was slumped exhausted over the wheel. 司机伏在方向盘上，疲惫得睡着了。

3 perverse   

adj.刚愎的；坚持错误的，行为反常的

参考例句：

• It would be perverse to stop this healthy trend.阻止这种健康发展的趋势是没有道理的。
• She gets a perverse satisfaction from making other people embarrassed.她有一种不正常的心态，以使别人难堪来取乐。

4 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

5 taxation   

n.征税，税收，税金

参考例句：

• He made a number of simplifications in the taxation system.他在税制上作了一些简化。
• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。

6 lumbered   

砍伐（lumber的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• A rhinoceros lumbered towards them. 一头犀牛笨重地向他们走来。
• A heavy truck lumbered by. 一辆重型卡车隆隆驶过。

7 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

8 mettle   

n.勇气，精神

参考例句：

• When the seas are in turmoil,heroes are on their mettle.沧海横流，方显出英雄本色。
• Each and every one of these soldiers has proved his mettle.这些战士个个都是好样的。

9 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。