Poll Tax

[Stu]

That's a completely different argument about whether local councils provide national benefit. e.g. I don't live in Manchester so don't pay any taxation there, but if I went there I would be quite happy if they had roads to use & a Police force to ensure I was safe.

We are discussing how the councils should raise the local element.

Originally Posted by Stu

That's a completely different argument about whether local councils provide national benefit. e.g. I don't live in Manchester so don't pay any taxation there, but if I went there I would be quite happy if they had roads to use & a Police force to ensure I was safe.

We are discussing how the councils should raise the local element.

i was asking what the point of a locally raised element is.

Originally Posted by sarah

i was asking what the point of a locally raised element is.

No, you were saying local council taxation should be used to redistribute the wealth! Two seperate (at least) issues here; redistribution of wealth on a national scale, and raising of funds on a fair and equal scale for council services.

[Stu]

Redistributing wealth at a local level doesn't work. What use is redistributing wealth in Mosside? or Mayfair? but redistributing wealth from Mayfair to Mosside does make sense (unless you're completely facist )

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by sarah

taxes aren't just about getting people to pay for what they use. as (stu?) said earlier it's also about redistribution of wealth.

And as has been pointed out elsewhere in this thread, local taxes such as Council Tax (as it is now) are for paying for local services. It is set independently (sort of!) of central government. It should have nothing to do with stealing from the rich to give to the poor! As it is, local tax from better off families who don't consume as much of the indirect services (housing benefit, day centres, etc) are paying more than their 'share' of what they consume and that subsidises these indirect services.

Originally Posted by sarah

it's also worth noting that council tax does not constitute all of a council's income, it also gets money from centrally gathered taxes (from government).

Which is where your re-distirbution argument may carry some weight, by taking tax raised in wealthy areas and giving it to councils in deprived areas.Using tax to re-distribute wealth is not what tax is for IMO, but most folks views on this vary, depends on what side of the political spectrum you sit.

The Community Charge was very neutral in this regard and therefore a good tax, the council decided how much they needed than split it equally between those eligible to pay. Fair

Originally Posted by Warthog

No, you were saying local council taxation should be used to redistribute the wealth! Two seperate (at least) issues here; redistribution of wealth on a national scale, and raising of funds on a fair and equal scale for council services.

i didn't say anything should or should not be done.

i was trying to make the point that the majority of funding that councils receive is from central government and not council tax.

[Stu]

Originally Posted by sarah

i was asking what the point of a locally raised element is.

Because that's where most of the benefit of the services that they provide goes! Why should I pay for local services in Manchester? FFS I never go there & I never want to! If you don't match the services with the cost, then the cost will just spiral. A bit like going out for a meal with friends & splitting the bill. If you're going to pay for exactly what you eat you might not order a starter & desert, whereas if everyone else is & you're splitting the bill equally you may as well.

Originally Posted by Stu

Redistributing wealth at a local level doesn't work. What use is redistributing wealth in Mosside? or Mayfair? but redistributing wealth from Mayfair to Mosside does make sense (unless you're completely facist )

lol.

want to continue the debate in the pub later?

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Stu

Yes it is a role of taxation to redistribute wealth from rich to poor,

No it is not.

[Stu]

LP is a complete fascist