Switzerland’s central cantons are planning to lower their tax rates; increasing numbers of public transport users file complaints about ticket policies; and more news in our Tuesday roundup.
Central cantons plan to lower their taxes
Zug, Schwyz, Nidwalden, and Lucerne want to further cut their taxes.
The goal of this move, which would mainly benefit the middle classes and the rich, is to increase the region’s attractiveness for families and businesses alike.
However, not everyone believes this is a good idea.
In its analysis, the economic research center at ETH Zurich points at a risk of “segregation of the population” as wealthier cantons attract the rich, while poorer ones will be burdened with higher social benefits.
More passengers complain about train ticket rules
The public transport’s Ombudsman’s office has been receiving an increasing number of complaints from disgruntled commuters – from 263 submitted in 2023 to 427 in 2024.
The Ombudsman, Hans Höhener, has observed that many travelers have difficulty understanding the increasingly complex ticket options; often, complaints regard tickets that are used too early or too late, or else those purchased a few seconds after departure.
Höhener has long been calling for ‘goodwill regulations’ for such minor cases – for instance, ‘a grace period’ of 30 to 60 seconds for ticket purchases via the SBB app.
However, the SwissPass Alliance, an umbrella group for Switzerland’s public transport compaies, argues that strict rules must be complied with.
READ ALSO: Can you buy tickets after boarding trains in Switzerland?
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Migros is selling Swiss-made Coca-Cola again
Several months ago, Switzerland’s largest supermarket chain, Migros, along with other major retailers, had pulled a plug on Coca-Cola because this beverage, manufactured in Switzerland under license, was more expensive than the ones produced abroad.
While negotiating a better deal with the Zurich-based manufacturer, Migros imported the Coke, at lower prices, from other countries.
Now, however, the negotiations between the retailer and Coca-Cola are successfully concluded, according a Migros spokesperson.
Once the current stock is sold out, the Swiss-produced beverage will be back on the shelves, though Migros hasn’t disclosed its new price, so as not to alert its competitors.
Denner and Migrolino, both owned by Migros, will also start selling Swiss Coke again.
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Appeals filed against the exclusion of cross-border students from Geneva schools
In a cost-cutting attempt, Geneva authorities decided, at the end of the school year in June, to exclude children from neighbouring communities in France from attending the canton’s schools starting in 2026.
This decision has now taken on a political and legal dimension, with 40 French families saying they will file two appeals against this measure.
Both appeals will be filed before the Constitutional Chamber of the Court of Justice.
Among reasons for the appeal cited by the French litigants is that the exclusion of cross-border students is a violation of the free movement agreement between Switzerland and the EU.
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