Council tax

Wouldn't a local income tax be better?

graham wrote:

Wouldn't a local income tax be better?

It would be better for some and worse for others. In terms of Pure numbers I would imagine better for more people than it is worse for. There will be a report on different proposals for financing local government published in the next few weeks which should give a good comparison of the different possible systems.

local income tax would be disasterous for most taxpayers as by its very nature it would only apply to those who pay tax. the millions who "dont work, wont work" or those who earn a good wage in the black economy would therefore be exempt. the result would be an extension of the inequity of the majority subsidising the minority of us who contribute nothing but have their hands out for every benefit going

The old poll tax, bugbear of so many, was in my view fairer. If twelve people live in a house or two people, surely twelve people should pay. They put out more rubbish, visit the local amenities more, and so on. As for the shirkers, well, it seems this country is awash with them.

i mean its not as if those who pay nothing dont use the services is it? whatever the system nooone will ever be satisfied i guess

jackie rokotnitz wrote:

The old poll tax, bugbear of so many, was in my view fairer. If twelve people live in a house or two people, surely twelve people should pay.

That would be a tax on being poor, wouldn't it? I don't see that people who are forced into overcrowded housing should be forced into paying even more. We have a Balance of taxes, and those people will already be paying some or all of the others. If one tax was 'best' it would be all of the Government's income. It 'aint so.

The Council Tax is a tax on the local services (street lighting, fire service, rubbish collection, and all local amenities). Hence I always thought that everyone should pay - one little old lady living in a flat shouldnt have to pay the same as a family of five living in a similar flat. The family throw out five times the quantity of rubbish, will use the library and the parks five times as much, etc).

Presumably the little old lady should pay more income tax towards the NHS, then, seeing as she's more likely to get ill?

Why are you mixing unlike with unlike? The little old lady was probably paying into the NHS before you were born. And she probably worked all her life. She lived through WWll, (as indeed did I. What about you?) Your remarks are facecious and in very poor taste, besides being unsound and ill considered. We pay for the NHS on a per capita basis, so why should we not pay for local services on a per capita basis? No one pays for the NHS per household do they? Precisely.

Good for you Jackie, I totally agree with you! We mature folk have been paying taxes for years and now why should we not reep the benefit?

By the way, is refuse collection part of the Council Tax or not, I always thought it was until this talk of taxing us on what's actually thrown out? That will be a laugh if it happens, where I live 16 flats have to put their rubbish in one skip so how are they going to sort that out and, believe me, some flats seem to clear a mountain of stuff weekly (you know who you are white van man) and others (including me, which is why I'd like to know) one black bag. Watch out for the Rubbish Police and what will pay their wages - of course, the Council Tax, and that's us.