If you're struggling to pay your Council Tax bill, here's a chance to sign the online petition, linked to the Downing Street website, to have Council Tax reformed so that it takes into account the householder's income and ability to pay, rather than being based on inflated property prices.
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/counciltaxreform/
Petition for the reform of Council Tax
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter, Chief Spud
-
carlseawolf
- KG Regular
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 1:51 pm
- Location: ILFRACOMBE , N DEVON
- Contact:
nice idea primrose your petition , the only problems i can see stopping it happening is :
ministers high enough in goverment most likely don't pay council tax so not effected.
local councillers will not want council tax calculated on there wages as they will have to pay more.
prime minister not worried if people say they won't vote for him as the next party in will still have to enforce the local tax what ever the name ( poll tax under the concervatives ) so he won't lose any sleep over that.
i'll be happy this year if it just goes down !
I'LL SIGN IT JUST INCASE IT DOES SOME GOOD
ministers high enough in goverment most likely don't pay council tax so not effected.
local councillers will not want council tax calculated on there wages as they will have to pay more.
prime minister not worried if people say they won't vote for him as the next party in will still have to enforce the local tax what ever the name ( poll tax under the concervatives ) so he won't lose any sleep over that.
i'll be happy this year if it just goes down !
I'LL SIGN IT JUST INCASE IT DOES SOME GOOD
A seed planted today will make a meal tomorrow
www.freewebs.com/carlseawolf
www.freewebs.com/carlseawolf
Property owners pay council tax, so government ministers as much as anyone else.
Councillor salaries on their own are not particularly high, depending on the area - generally round about £5,000 - £7,000 p.a. Most of them (unless Executive members) probably do other jobs, but these would cover a wide salary range.
The current council tax is quite different from the poll tax. That was a flat rate levied on every person regardless of their circumstances, so it particularly benefited the most well-off.
Council tax is however also incredibly unfair in being levied on property values regardless of the income of the inhabitant. An elderly resident who has lived in their house for 40-50 years may be forced to sell up and move out - an upheaval which can easily lead to an early death.
In Cardiff, re-banding following recent property inflation has led to a majority of property owners in the city having at least one band rise, and often two, without any sort of commensurate rise in their incomes. The deep unrest in Wales caused by the re-banding of properties led to a similar exercise being cancelled in England, I believe.
Many thanks, Primrose, for publicising this petition - I've signed it too. I have for a long time thought that Local Income Tax has to be the only fair way for local services to be funded. I seem to remember they use it in Scandanavia and Canada, amongst others.
Alison.
Councillor salaries on their own are not particularly high, depending on the area - generally round about £5,000 - £7,000 p.a. Most of them (unless Executive members) probably do other jobs, but these would cover a wide salary range.
The current council tax is quite different from the poll tax. That was a flat rate levied on every person regardless of their circumstances, so it particularly benefited the most well-off.
Council tax is however also incredibly unfair in being levied on property values regardless of the income of the inhabitant. An elderly resident who has lived in their house for 40-50 years may be forced to sell up and move out - an upheaval which can easily lead to an early death.
In Cardiff, re-banding following recent property inflation has led to a majority of property owners in the city having at least one band rise, and often two, without any sort of commensurate rise in their incomes. The deep unrest in Wales caused by the re-banding of properties led to a similar exercise being cancelled in England, I believe.
Many thanks, Primrose, for publicising this petition - I've signed it too. I have for a long time thought that Local Income Tax has to be the only fair way for local services to be funded. I seem to remember they use it in Scandanavia and Canada, amongst others.
Alison.