Alternattiva Demokratika has presented 30 proposals for the forthcoming budget.

In its proposals, the party said that the government's expenditure programmes should be sustainable while it aimed to improve environmental, social and economic targets.

Chairman Michael Briguglio said:

"In a global context of economic crisis, AD believes in fiscal discipline, meaning that budgetary deficits and public debt should be manageable. As regards fiscal policy, we support progressive income tax and believe that ceilings for low-income earners should be raised, in order that tax-free income for such persons is increased.

"We also believe that property speculation should be taxed from third vacant property onwards, particularly when Malta is a perpetual building site and when a quarter of properties are vacant. This would also encourage the renting and selling of properties, which are kept vacant for speculation purposes and the use of existing buildings rather than building more areas."

AD is also reiterating that the minimum wage in Malta should increase and should be extended to part time and contractual workers as well as to those being forced to register as self-employed by their employers.

AD proposed tax breaks, venture capital initiatives and soft-loans for the generation of green jobs in areas such as education, IT, transport, tourism, waste management, agriculture.

AD transport spokesman Ralph Cassar said:

"It is now more than clear that the public transport service agreement has been designed to keep subsidies as low as possible, with routes merged together and the minimum possible number of buses.

"It is also clear that systems which were promised months ago such as electronic route displays on buses and electronic route timetables on bus stops are not even working yet.

"Lots of people are being left stranded in the rush hour, with timetables ignoring completely the surge in bus use early morning.

"A good public transport system needs to be adequately funded to guarantee a good service. Other revenue streams for public transport, such as part of the incoming tax payable on all air travel, from tourists should be sought rather than the unwieldy system of charging different fees at point of use, which is bogging down the system."

He also called for a serious and extensive programme to utilise available roof space to generate clean energy.

"Sites for a windfarm, onshore or in suitable offshore locations, for which experimental data by experts already exists should be identified as soon as possible."

He said that solar should replace electrical water heaters in all buildings.

"A phase out plan for electrical water heaters should be considered, with corresponding fiscal incentives. We also propose a national programme for the replacement of street lighting with low energy lighting."

AD Spokesperson for Social Policy Angele Deguara called for genuine efforts to address acute social problems such as the thousands living below the poverty line, the high labour market inactivity rates and the need to reach vulnerable groups more effectively.

AD's budget proposals can be read in the pdf link below.