German Finance Chief Introduces Plan to Ease Taxpayer Burden (1)

German Finance Minister Christian Lindner set out 10 billion-euros ($10.2 billion) of tax adjustments to ease the burden on people suffering from high inflation.

“To allow for a tax increase during these times is not fair, and is dangerous for economic development,” Lindner told reporters Wednesday in Berlin.

Lindner in Berlin, on Aug. 10.

Photographer: Liesa Johannssen-Koppitz/Bloomberg

He referred to a phenomenon known as “bracket creep,” when inflation pushes workers’ pay into higher tax brackets without any real changes in purchasing power. Not adjusting the tax code in such a situation would not be fair, Lindner argued.

German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit told journalists at a regular news ...