Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. The 2023-24 budget will be announced later this month. Some political parties have irresponsibly pushed for another round of consumption vouchers. This ignores Hong Kong’s expected budget deficit and will hamper the city’s recovery. According to Article 107 of the Basic Law, “The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall follow the principle of keeping the expenditure within the limits of revenues in drawing up its budget, and strive to achieve a fiscal balance, avoid deficits and keep the budget commensurate with the growth rate of its gross domestic product.” Our economy shrank by 6.5 per cent in 2020 following a 1.7 per cent contraction in 2019. Although there was a rebound in 2021, in 2022, the economy is expected to have contracted for the third time in four years because of the pandemic and geopolitical tensions. Furthermore, our financial secretary expects a budget deficit of more than HK$100 billion for the 2022-23 financial year. Given this and the pessimistic global economic outlook, voucher handouts would not only be imprudent but also could be unconstitutional. With the reopening of the border with mainland China, demand for goods and services is likely to increase. The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce has predicted that the city’s economy can grow by up to 3.8 per cent in 2023. Consumer vouchers are a countercyclical measure whereby governments increase spending during an economic recession to stimulate demand. The pandemic has exacerbated income disparity. According to Oxfam, in the first quarter of 2022, the median monthly income of the city’s poorest households fell by 22.9 per cent compared with 2019 while that of the richest rose by 6.3 per cent. I am not against increasing government spending but we should spend our communal money wisely and effectively. From a personal perspective, who wouldn’t be happy to receive a cash or voucher handout? However, who really needs a helping hand? Should we risk our long-term ability to help those in real need to give the comfortably off a free shopping spree? The coming budget will be the first budget after the social unrest and pandemic, a symbol of resurrection. If we want to show the world that Hong Kong is back, we can’t afford poor decision-making. Christopher Ip, North Point Ticket giveaway for tourists a step too far There are many ways to promote tourism, but the offer of free air tickets might not be the most effective. Even if the air tickets are free, reluctant visitors still need to pay for accommodation, food and shopping. For decades, even when the airport was situated in crowded Kai Tak, tourists came to Hong Kong for many reasons. It was a shopping paradise and a wonderful experience for gourmets. Even the dodgy alleys held many attractions. Hong Kong was never as clean and green as Singapore, but it was full of surprises for both locals and foreigners. Hong Kong’s natural attractions for seasoned travellers have not faded despite the Covid-19 pandemic. There are better ways to make tourists feel at home. The money could be spent on rebuilding the small restaurants and makeshift stalls that make Hong Kong interesting, and offering food vouchers at hotels. More free Wi-fi connections across the city would be appreciated. A complimentary limousine pickup wouldn’t cost that much. If the government really has the budget for half a million air tickets to lure tourists, it could upgrade regular visitors from economy class to business class or upgrade their hotel accommodation from a double room to a junior suite. There is no need to offer free tickets, which brings to mind throwing money from a helicopter. Despite all its post-Brexit setbacks, London isn’t desperate enough to issue free tickets to lure travellers. Khaw Wei Kang, Macau