Is this really the course? It doesn't make any sense, not even materially. I am in Europe, I pay VAT on everything I pay to the Lindens. That means an accompanying hike in VAT and no I am not earning enough in RL to be able to claim it back. I don't know if you realise that Linden Labs.
Biting the hands that feed doesn't really come into this. It comes just before the Auction for the mainland. However it creates such bad feeling as witnessed by this forum and people I have spoken to in the short time I have known about this, I am not sure you will get around this with spin.
Blaming the Residents for the use of something that they pay already a great deal for isn't really on. Look at the prices and then say ok you can spend this money but not do anything with the 3kodd prims that you get. OK I understand 'heavy usage' but how many folk are actually doing that.
I think this is a really bad move on Linden Labs part and a complete misreading of the Residents. As someone said to me if your mortgage in RL went up by over a third what would you do. We are living through the consequences of those particular decisions by financial giants. Is this the time or the place to do this?
Why not take the business grid and make it completely separate. Don't allow them into Second Life. Make it another world called Yet Another Real Life if you have to. If they want to mix with the creatives in here, which is why Second Life has the reputation it has btw, then make that an add on for them. Do not penalise us in order to make life good for them.