Apparently it’s not just down to the Bertarelli contribution, but also the anticipated tax receipts from a couple of other families as well. Tax relief…in Britain or America this would be a reason to vote for the other guy (indeed there are many who think that the only good thing George W Bush did was reduce the tax burden, especially for married couples…but they’ll never admit it). But not here in Gstaad. The villagers have been earnestly marking their turf for the latest village debate, with some expressing reservations about the Gemeinde’s decision to reduce local taxes, and other simply upset it was done right on te heels of the Bertarelli announcement. Gift horse in the mouth, anyone? Arguments against the proposed reduction range from the idea that the Gemeinde should invest its projected surplus in services and infrastructure projects, to the concern that our local tax base shouldn’t be anchored on the comings and goings of a few families…what will happen, they say, should these families ever decide to leave? But the Gemeinde points out that budget surpluses can simply be spent, and any unexpected revenues must be placed into a cantonal pool for less well-off communes...so better to keep the money in the region in the form of a tax reduction. December 7 is the date for the people’s vote to ratify next year's budget which incorporates the tax reduction, and there promises to be much debate between now and then.

So to get things started, we invite you the GstaadLife.com reader (many of whom aren’t eligible to vote in these things anyway, but still have to pay the taxes) to have your say. Our imaginary Gemeinde ballot paper goes like this: