Saturday, February 11, 2017

If I were the Hong Kong C.E., here's what my pledges would be



Universal retirement protection scheme
Reduce road infrastructure costs and pollution
  • The growth of private car ownership needs to be contained (30% in 10 years). The mass-transit systems in Hong Kong are efficient, inexpensive, and will get anyone anywhere they want, or need. It is arguably the best in the world. More private cars means more roads, which are a waste of land use, and require ongoing maintenance.
    The idea would be to de-incentivize the purchase of private cars in Hong Kong and place them squarely as a luxury item, which they are.

    Private car First Registration tax to double. Payable at car purchase. This tax would also apply for cars privately purchased outside and brought in Hong Kong.
Private cars
      (a)   on the first $150,000
40% would be increased to 80%
      (b)   on the next $150,000
75% would be increased to 150%
      (c)   on the next $200,000
100% would be increased to 200%
      (d)   on the remainder
115% would be increased to 330%
  • Reduce Hong Kong vehicle fleet pollution. Vehicle annual licensing renewal fees ; increase for all, but modulated on particulate emissions. For example: for petrol private car smaller than 1500cc, the current fee is $3929/year. It would be changed to be modulated from $3929/year to $8000/year, depending on PM2.5 emissions. Furthermore, it would be mandatory for the fees to be displayed at the car dealership and on the sales agreement. The idea is that the transparent modulated fees would make private car buyers aware of the environmental and economical choice they are making at time of purchase, and promote the purchase of less polluting vehicles
    http://www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/fees_and_charges/
  • Phasing out of ALL pre-EuroV vehicle by 2022 (5 years). http://www.hongkongcan.org/doclib/Hong_Kong_Commercial_Diesel_Vehicle_Fleet_consolidated.pdf
  • Particulate scrubbers installed in high-density areas and parks. New technology exists to effectively "scrub" the particulate pollution out of the air. This is not a replacement to pollution control but rather, a short-term mitigation measure. Such scrubbers should be installed in high-density areas (Mong Kok, Central, Causeway Bay) as well as parkshttps://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/sep/19/worlds-first-smog-filtering-tower-on-tour-daan-roosegaarde-air-pollution
  • Mandate use of 0.1% sulphur fuel for ships within Hong Kong's waters, instead of the current 0.5% sulphur fuel
  • Equip ship berthing facilities with power capabilities so that less polluting sources can power ships when berthed
Protect Hong Kong's unique natural asset, its Country Parks



Make housing more affordable
  • Taxation of unsold new flat units as if they were sold, at twice the leasable taxable rate. The idea being to force developers to release flats to the market (thousands of flats currently) by making it less economically beneficial for them to keep unsold inventory. Thereby increasing supply.
  • Escalating stamp duty on land sold but not developed. Escalation doesn't stop if land development rights are resold. 1x first year, 3x second year, 5x 3rd years, 7x 4th year
  • Increase 30% of plot ratios density. Minimum ratios implementation
  • Immediate termination of small house policy with compensation of public flat, or $1mil, at impacted individual's choice
Advancement of democracy in Hong Kong as allowed by the One-Country, Two systems framework
  • Re-open talks with Beijing on universal suffrage with goal of CE elected through universal suffrage