Council tax whinge

Lots goes on housing.

[timwilky]

Originally Posted by Swin

I don't mind the council tax per se, everyone should contribute etc.

What I do despair of is what you're getting for your money - which seems to be diminishing every year.

When Maggie said everyone should pay, there was rioting. so they went back to only 30% must pay.


(I assume it is about 30% when you take into account husband/wife and those households with multiple grown up kids still free loading at home etc., probably going to be even less when you then take into account the rising number of unemployed entitled to rate rebates etc.)

Originally Posted by Ed

Over the last 10 years, council tax has increased, on average, by 74%.

In the same period, inflation has increased by 19%.

Speaking as a humble local government employee, I'd like to assure the .org that my salary hasn't gone up by 74% in the last 10 years.

In fact, due to several years of below inflation pay rises when times were good and private-sector employees were raking it in , our pay has dropped in real terms.

There was one year when my salary increase matched my Council Tax increase. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.........

'course it needs to go up. They just lost all the money they had already taken off us in the icelandic banks, remember?

[Gazza77]

Probably doesn't help that councils are funded by central government as well as council tax. In order for their total income to remain at a constant council tax has to rise each year, because central government funding is falling.

The govt seems to have other things to spend it on the local services....

[punyXpress]

Originally Posted by Milky Bar Kid

If I could find a smilie which expressed my dispair I would use it here....

<------- You mean this one ? MBK ?


( on your post )

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Kilted Ginger

Be grateful my brother in the us pays 3k a year council tax, the next street over pays 16.5k

Btw he has a 2 bed flat

But his income tax is lower, offsetting it to a degree. He is also able write his local tax off against his federal taxes, which means he pays it out of untaxed income not taxed income - that makes a big difference to the amount of gross pay Council Tax takes.

Still a lot though!

I find it maddening that we pay so much. For some years it went up by 10 - 15% a year. Why has central government imposed this shift? And you get no thanks for it, just red letters and threats of court action if you miss a payment.

I can't wait to vote this lot out. They have just over a year left - the next election must be held before mid June 2010.

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Ed

I find it maddening that we pay so much. For some years it went up by 10 - 15% a year. Why has central government imposed this shift? And you get no thanks for it, just red letters and threats of court action if you miss a payment.

I can't wait to vote this lot out. They have just over a year left - the next election must be held before mid June 2010.

I agree. I know a lot of folks got all het up about the Community Charge (poll tax), but IMHO that is the fairest system. A flat charge on all of age for council services. I get no more service for having a biggish house, than the folks next door in a small 2-bed bungalow, but am expected to pay double. Not fair! Payment should be proportional services consumed, so each adult should pay the same. (usual caveats about low income / students / pensioners).

And don't get me started on a local income tax!!!!

[Swin]

Originally Posted by timwilky

When Maggie said everyone should pay, there was rioting. so they went back to only 30% must pay.


(I assume it is about 30% when you take into account husband/wife and those households with multiple grown up kids still free loading at home etc., probably going to be even less when you then take into account the rising number of unemployed entitled to rate rebates etc.)

I park opposite number 10 Downing Street (for my sins, it's a pain in the bum what with protests and whatever). Back when the riots kicked off our carpark was open to the public with just a little chain link fence marking off our land as it were, the rioters got into the car park, smashed 2 of our guys cars roofs down into the steering wheel area and pushed all the bikes over, except mine - even rioters must have felt sorry for a bloke tooling around on a MZ TS250

And to make it worse, on the way home that night I lost the back end on a big pile of horse poo left behind by the cop horses!!!