European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 9, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Page 11 a writer finds German surcharge taxing i recently had my tax return prepared at a amp a Block. Upon receiving my Bill i discovered that i was charged 7 percent a sales tax the person at a amp a Block explained that her employer whoever that is was required to pay 14. Percent vat in Germany and that he was passing half of that Cost on to me the customer. Charged by businesses doing business with the . Military a name withheld Augsburg West Germany editors note a John Allred mar staff officer office of the Deputy chief of staff personnel he Usa eur replies thank you for the Opportunity to answer your question concerning taxation in the Federal Republic of Germany. In a sure the concern expressed in your letter is shared by Many of our folks in the Usa eur and Safe military communities stationed in the Fri. First of All the tax Yon refer to is a value added tax vat charge required by the Federal government to be charged on various commodities and services sold to ind Doal Consumers. The a  a As it is called in Germany is basically either 14 percent or 7 percent depending upon the particular item or service being purchased under applicable German tax statutes a 7 percent vat is applied to the Type of services provided by a amp a Block and not 14 percent As you were reportedly told. Second the answer is a a yes to your question on whether you can be charged a a sales  the vat Relief program is a voluntary program both for you and for the Gorman merchant the German Vendor with whom Yon Are doing business does not have to sell Yon a service without the vat. If he or she does then the tax free Purchase mat be made in accordance with provisions of the supplementary agreement to the nato status of forces agreement under terms of this authority the Community morale welfare and recreation fund pm wry must make the Purchase for you in order to obtain the applicable tax Relief. The vat Relief program is there fore a voluntary program to both you and the Vendor i Hope this information helps clarify tax Relief policy in the Fri. In addition i would like to i personally speak with the manager of theh amp a Block office to determine exactly what the company a official policy la regarding payment of the vat. A major thanks gis who served at Charlie As checkpoint Charlie closes a Symbol of history and Freedom fades away. I would like to say thanks to All the men and women who faithfully served there since its inception. Checkpoint Charlie was not the building on Friedric Strasse a it was the soldiers who served there. Thank you for the feeling of Security you provided knowing we were accounted for if we had problems. Thank you for answering the same questions a thou Sand times. Thank you for All the Holiday meals you missed with family and friends. Thank you from All citizens in the West and East alike who saw the checkpoint As a Lighthouse during those darkest and very dreary Days of the cold War. While Well miss checkpoint Charlie it is the right time to say goodbye. The world is changing and hopefully for the better. Thanks again to you All for your outstanding duty and the Security you provided for us All. A maj. Brian e. Powers Berun a German help available for child support this is an addition to the information Given in the letter a sex wife a child support rights  i would like to inform the editors that there is an a  in Germany which enables an attorney not Only to enforce Alimony and child support court orders from most of the american states but also to take the persons liable to provide support to court. The procedure according to this Law can be started in any local court is transferred to a Central administration in Berlin and from there to the United states. It might be interesting for you to know that there is an organization of female attorneys the a rechts Anwyl Tinne Verein Sud deutschland  that women can pen pals i am a 19-year-old computer operator. I spend a lot of my time on the peach Jet skiing. At night i enjoy discos and night dubs. I enjoy Ait sports a use Clarke Larch Hill Pound Gate Crowt Rouah East Sussex tvs 3su England i am 18 years old. A pricy Malabo 1004 Hong Hong St. General Santos City 9500, Philippines i am a teacher and above 35 years old. A Elsie c. Quyon Sta . Box Ife general Santos City Philippines i am 17. I like listening to heavy Metal music. My hobbies Are drawing painting singing party Inland shopping. A Tonya evea 85th Matt. Co. Box 195 . 09031 i am is years old. A Jeanelyn l. Timosan 78 or. E. Veciano Road Oum Aguete City Philippi net i Tike Reading travelling and cooking. I also enjoy watching to and movies and listening to son music. I am 25 years do Kutany p. Dittme. 057 Mcarthur is. Tibulan Negros Oriental 8201 Philippines. Turn to in matters of support. The address is 7000 Stuttgart 1, Heinsburg trafic ii. There you will be Given names of local attorneys who will be of help to present those claims. A Barbara Rubach Augsburg West Germany 9 Tot s toys left at Chi Emsee on May 27 our 2-year-old left her Teddy Bear and a very tit Del baby do at the Chi Emsee Lake hotel. The doll had a red checked body and a painted heart on the Chest mat says 1980. We stayed in room 210. We left them in the top drawer under the to. Please please please return it to her. It you Send it mrs mis free. . Young . Box 831 apo0910sanrt Landers dear Ann Landers 1 live in the Bronx and went to spend easter with my sister in Canada. I read a Story in the Calgary Herald that reconfirms what i have believed for a Long time canadians Are More honest than americans. Get a Load of this. A couple of women considered themselves Lucky to have found a Calgary Safeway store open on easter sunday. They wanted to get some cold cuts and soft drinks for unexpected guests. The women did no to see any employees so they pushed their carts around the store thinking the clerks were tilt in the Back it was Early and would surface at any moment As the woman were loading tip their carts about 15 More customers came in and began to shop. There was still no sign of the clerks. They called a Yoo Hoo Yoo Hoo Quot but no one came. They concluded that the employees who closed the store saturday night had forgotten to turn Oft the tights and lock  of the shoppers called the police. Several shoppers left before the police arrived but they did not take any groceries with them. One Man took a quart of Oil and left his Money on the counter. A spokesperson for Canada Safeway Ltd. Later told the Media that it was an unfortunate incident and he apologized for inconveniencing the customers. He concluded by saying a nothing appeared to be  can you imagine this happening m new York Chicago or Detroit i can to. A an observer from the sidelines dear observer neither can i especially after seeing to shots of looters having a Field Day when there has been a fire flood or natural disaster. I done to want to Bear from any us citizens telling me to a love it or leave it 1 do lore it and i am not tearing it but i wish we were As boost As oar Canadian neighbors. Dear Ann Landers my son f11 Call him a a Steve is doing his medical residency at one of the finest universities in the country. I went to see him last weekend and was horrified by the Way he looked a dark circles under his eyes and thin As a rail. He told me he is on duty for 36 hours and off for 12. This goes on Day after Day. In my opinion such a schedule is nothing Short of Barbaric i asked Steve How he could give Good patient care when he is dead on his feet. He replied a a in a afraid sometimes the care Isnit As Good As 1 would like it to  when i told him i was going to Call Mike Wallace on �?o60 minutes a he veiled a for lord s Sake mom do you want to get me kicked out of the program a what can be done to help these residents Ann our be been a Good Friend of Medicine for Many years ill you please address this problem a concerned mom dear mom i did several Yean ago and it resulted la internecine warfare Between the late or. John p. Merrill of the Hamid University medical school who agreed with you and or. Norman Shunway of Stanford University who said it was a Good Way to prepare medical students for the real world. Today Many specialities such As dermatology opt Hal a a a Anish Fng sched Ules. In in emerge quals tedi us Almak and proctology do not have such punish however surgical residents who intend to specialize Pney room trauma Type treatment most be a with grueling schedules and its Tough. Tell Steve the world of Berok Medicine a a Welcome to i . Last minute update the state health department of new York has issued new rules limiting the hours that residents and interns can work. Creator Syndicate the so an feel  european comon col. Gene e. Townsend Usan commander editor m chief it. Col. Suzanne l. Phil  Usan Deputy commander editor in Duel Marie komu4icki Mert Proctor Deane s. 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