Tax cuts from today

Tauranga voters like the Farrell family will be jingling a few extra coins in their pockets from today with the start of the first personal tax cuts in more than a decade.
The tax cuts mean fulltime workers will have an extra $12 to $28 more in the hand each week _ equating to a minimum of $624 a year.
Those earning more than $70,000 will get the biggest increase with an extra $28 a week.
Matthew and Liz Farrell of Pyes Pa yesterday found out they will be taking home an extra $16 weekly in Matthew's pay packet, and a further $14 from Working for Families.
They were pleasantly surprised with the amount _ having both forgotten the tax credits were due to start today.
"Now that we know how much better off we are going to be, it will help us," Mr Farrell, a broadcast industry worker, said.
"It probably will actually allow us to save ... It helps us keep up with grocery and fuel prices and it helps us to save."
They plan to put some of the money into Mrs Farrell's newly set up Kiwisaver, who stays at home to look after their two sons, Patrick, 3, and Jack, 2.
However, neither of them said the tax credits would influence their votes in the upcoming election.
Mr Farrell commented that with National promising to keep the legislated tax credits for 2010 and 2011, he was doubtful this would help Labour in the election.
The future tax credits would increase the savings up to between $22 and $55 a week from April 2011.
"It won't influence the way I vote but I think for a lot of people it will," Mrs Farrell said, "you don't want to drop taxes too much anyway ... Less taxes collected means less services provided. You either pay it to the tax man or pay it direct to the service provider."
As well as the Working for Families package rising by an inflation-linked 5.22 per cent, superannuitants will now receive an extra $11.92 a week for a single person or $22.94 between a married couple.
Around Tauranga, it seems Labour's election carrot has failed to catch the attention of local voters.
Nearly everyone spoken to by the Bay of Plenty Times was unaware the tax credit was coming into effect from today. Tauranga Foodbank secretary Glen Spedding said he has not heard mention of it from customers.
"It will help them to a certain extent but how much I don't know," he said.
Lisa Henstock, a solo mother-of-four boys in Otumoetai, said her $12 weekly increase would not even register on her radar.
"It's nice to get something back rather than being taxed more ... This isn't going to sway my vote though," she said, remaining undecided on who would get her vote.
Tauranga retailers were unoptimistic the extra dollars would be coming their way.
A spokesperson for Warehouse Fraser Cove said the current economy meant he expected people would not spend the money on luxury items.
Doug Harvie, owner of Super Liquor in Greerton, said: "With everyone's disposable income being eroded by inflation, petrol increases and interest rates, there's not going to be anything left to spend on the luxuries."
Those thoughts were also shared by Martin Claphan, part-owner of Cornerstone Pub.
"I'm not sure people are even that aware. There may be a small increase in spending but personal debt is so high with petrol and stuff, people are still going to be in the negative."
Priority One chief executive Andrew Coker said the tax credit could help stem the flow of skilled workers to Australia, but for Priority One's members, it would not affect their personal budgets.
"It really is about dispensing our discretionary income here," he said.
At this point, a lot of people were looking for any relief to their stretched budgets, he said, but he was unsure the tax credits would affect the upcoming election.
with Amanda Wisnewski