Council tax whinge

Originally Posted by Luckypants

Payment should be proportional services consumed, so each adult should pay the same. (usual caveats about low income / students / pensioners).

Even that isn't fair, why should me & my other half pay the same as a husband & wife who have four or five kids, they would generate more waste than us so should pay more.

[Biker Biggles]

Indeed.Why have these services at all if no one wants to pay for them?

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Foey

Even that isn't fair, why should me & my other half pay the same as a husband & wife who have four or five kids, they would generate more waste than us so should pay more.

See caveats about low incomes.... Those with kids tend to be strapped enough as it is. where do you think a lot of Council Tax goes to? Education is one of the highest costs for a council. I do believe we should all chuck in to the pot to pay for services, just that all should pay the same.

See you may have kids in the future and then you will be glad of the educatin provided (for instance).

Bring back Poll Tax!!
I think that the services that I get from council are brilliant, but Poll Tax was still fairer.

[tigersaw]

Originally Posted by Lou M

Bring back Poll Tax!!
I think that the services that I get from council are brilliant, but Poll Tax was still fairer.

I remember looking forward to poll tax as I thought I'd save loads, but the reduction compared to my rates at the time was very little.

[Biker Biggles]

I believe its a longstanding Libdem policy to replace this tax with a local income tax.Seems a good idea given that all the other systems have failed.(Rates Poll Tax and the current Community Charge)

I'm supposed to be grateful that my business rates are going up by 'only' 2% instead of the planned 5%. I can't increase my fees by 2%. In fact I quoted somebody £400 to buy a piece of land - half an acre, it's farmland and he wants to turn it into garden land so there's planning considerations - only to find that a firm in Hereford had quoted him £200, and another here in Shrewsbury £250. I did in fact get the job, but if this goes on then I may as well close down now.

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Biker Biggles

I believe its a longstanding Libdem policy to replace this tax with a local income tax.Seems a good idea given that all the other systems have failed.(Rates Poll Tax and the current Community Charge)

How can that be a good idea? Why should someone earning £20K pay double what someone earning £10K pay for the same council services? In what way exactly is that equitable? Flat fee, same for all - fair.

Originally Posted by Luckypants

How can that be a good idea? Why should someone earning £20K pay double what someone earning £10K pay for the same council services? In what way exactly is that equitable? Flat fee, same for all - fair.

+1

[Biker Biggles]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

How can that be a good idea? Why should someone earning £20K pay double what someone earning £10K pay for the same council services? In what way exactly is that equitable? Flat fee, same for all - fair.

For the same reason that we dont run the country that way.It doesnt work.You cant charge someone on £10000 a flat rate income tax(or poll tax)as it would mean you took all their money.So you have to tax according to what people can afford.The only realistic and vaguely fair way to do that is graduated income tax.