– Reopen closed police stations – VG

Sp Parliamentary Leader Marit Arnstad heads the party’s program committee.

Today he opens the lid and presents the new party policy for the next few years, which deals with the future of the districts.

– This is a struggle for survival for many communities in the district: it is constantly going the wrong way: a constant stream of people heading towards the cities, as Statistics Norway recently demonstrated. Small airports and other vital services will be closed. So you need to take action directly targeting the districts, says Arnstad.

Here are the measurements for Sp

It has a long list of measurements.

• Reopened police stations

– We will reopen the police stations that have been closed; in the sense that the municipalities that request the reopening will have the opportunity to do so, says Arnstad.

– We will provide a guarantee that all local hospitals will be maintained, with a minimum of emergency and maternity services.

– Do you not listen to the objections of professionals that small hospitals do not offer a good enough quality on par with the larger units?

– Yes, we recognize it, but if you live on the Namdal coast and are about to give birth, then it is 100 times more important that you feel confident that you can give birth in a safe environment locally, rather than having than to travel far and risk giving birth in an ambulance.

• Reduced corporate tax for all businesses in the districts.

– We have to think that the new and reduced corporate tax is a tool that will make investment in rural areas more interesting. Combined with extending the differentiated employer contribution to apply to all industries, it will be a powerful tool, Arnstad says.

– There are also voters in the cities; Do you think they agree that the tax burden should be distributed differently?

– When districts experience that many things are going in the wrong direction, we, as politicians, must take responsibility. By developing a new district policy, the pressure on cities can be reduced somewhat. And the different levels of taxes are nothing new; the employer’s contribution is differentiated.

• 12 billion for rural growth agreements

– He is a child of the heart, she says:

– If you look at a map of Norway showing business development, then you understand what I mean: there are some areas that stand out extremely: both inland and in Trøndelag, parts of Setesdal and Numedal, parts of Sogn og Fjordane, Nordmøre, Solør region, Namdalen and parts of northern Norway. Groups of municipalities must join forces and sign long-term agreements with the state on money to develop infrastructure and commercial activities. It should be done according to the same template as for current urban growth agreements.

• Reduced VAT for tourism

– VAT has been reduced from 12 to 10 percent until October 31, due to the crown. There are so many hotels and tourism companies that will fight a lot this winter and we will reduce VAT to six percent by 2021. After 2021, it should be permanently lower than 12 percent, he says.

• Differentiate regulations for the beach area according to region and region.

– Beach area requirements should be strict where there is pressure along the Oslo fjord and big cities, but in districts the requirements should be able to be relaxed, to create business activity, he says.

You can read the rest of the suggestions here:

Arnstad, this all comes at a price and it will be high: How are you going to get coverage for this? tax increase?

– Much of this is simply a new prioritization of funds. It’s about wanting to invest throughout the country. Urban growth deals have a framework of over NOK 60 billion, some of which should be re-prioritized and benefit the rest of the country.

– World champions in tax cuts

Sylvi Listhaug, deputy leader of FRP, is not impressed.

– Sp says local hospitals should be maintained. The guarantees are excellent, but the last time Sp was in government they closed six maternity wards. It’s good that Sp has cared about tax and duty relief, but it’s completely impossible to imagine how they’ll get a majority for this when they cooperate with SV, Rødt, Ap, and MDG, who are world champions in tax cuts, Listhaug says. .

She says that if they are serious about wanting to cut taxes and fees, they must find “better partners.”

– One of the parts the Center Party depends on is the MDGs, which will spell death for the districts: the MDG hatred of cars will have dramatic consequences for everyone in Norway who depends on cars. More than 80 percent of passenger traffic is carried out by car.

– Trying to mislead voters

District Minister Linda Hofstad Helleland leads the program’s work for the Conservatives. She is positive, but is opposed to the same as Listhaug.

– There were some good proposals here and much of the government is already working or announced that we will do it. We know that districts live on private jobs and workers, not on state transfers. That is why we have granted tax breaks to towns and cities across the country, we have built and maintained more roads and railways than ever before, and we have strengthened the police force. Often times, they vote against the MDGs.

– However, Marit Arnstad and Sp try to mislead voters into believing that if Jonas Gahr Støre becomes prime minister after the elections, he and Sp in collaboration with MDG will build more airports and more highways. I think voters see through this, says District Minister Helleland.