Tbilisi. The Price of the State is a new, innovative project implemented by Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC), implemented in the framework of the East-West Management Institute’s (EWMI) Policy, Advocacy, and Civil Society Development in Georgia (G-PAC) Program, funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID). 

In Georgia, much like elsewhere, a taxpayer is not only an employee or an employer with an income tax obligation, but rather any consumer in the economy, and therefore virtually every citizen. Georgian taxpayers are subject to a complex taxation scheme at almost every instance of economic transaction, including the so called indirect taxes paid while making purchases. However, they remain practically unaware of the sums that are transferred to the state budget from their pockets, not to mention how this money is further allocated. To put it simply, the society has little to no understanding of the ”price” it pays for maintaining the State. An average citizen, regardless of the frequency of the use of public service, or an interest in a particular budgetary priority, does not understand the true financial load that he or she bears individually for receiving this service.

Source:priceofthestate.ge