havent been here in a while...

[NYRangers78]

im just curious if anything was said here about bono and the band moving part of the headquarters to holland to avoid paying the 20 million in taxes...and if so, has there been any updates or responses from bono and the band about the uproar it caused in ireland, and here among the irish in nyc as it was in all the irish newspapers....people i talk to now say bono is the biggest phony over this that hes sold his soul and respect for 20 million dollars and that no one will ever listen to him again......when people tell me this, i have no defense to say to them....

sorry if this causes any problems here....

 

[vaz02]

If i was Irish i would agree but it wasn't just the bands decision it was u2 + 1 decision too.

btw wot happened to bono's slane castle speech about basing his crew in dublin LOL

 

[U2girl]

There was no update.

Perhaps you'd like to tell them this is not Bono or the band moving, it's the company U2 Limitied, to, yes, avoid paying taxes. Raise their hands anyone out of them who hasn't tried to squeeze a dollar here and there with their annual tax report. U2 has been exempt at paying taxes for years now. Where were they then?
The tax rate is 42%, btw and this is not "our money" from albums and tour merchandise, this is royalties money. The band members are still residents and taxpayers in Ireland and are probably paying a lot more money in taxes than your average Irish person. You can bet anyone would be most careful about their tax paying once they make that kind of money.
And last time I checked U2 has four members and I guess McGuiness had a vote in this decision too. All of the above, incidentally, gave 1 million EUR each earlier this year of the Vertigo tour proceeds for charity in Africa.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

btw wot happened to bono's slane castle speech about basing his crew in dublin LOL

Well, to be fair, company offices can be located anywhere and still avoid taxes, as long as the company (the entity), itself, is located in a specific tax free or reduced location. Thus Bono can remain consistent with his slane castle speech if he wants to.

 

[BVS]

Well, to be fair, company offices can be located anywhere and still avoid taxes, as long as the company (the entity), itself, is located in a specific tax free or reduced location. Thus Bono can remain consistent with his slane castle speech if he wants to.

Exactly, and also to what U2Girl said.

It really is a stupid thing to get upset at.