Council Tax

[The PIT]

Council taxes in the UK are reaching breaking point. Rising faster than speed off inflation pensioners and low paid poeple are unable to pay. Our own council tax is reaching 1000 pounds for the year and yet we're not getting the services.
Roads and pavements are breaking up Street lighting needs replacing and policing isn't good enougth either.
Compair the council tax of around £200 in the eighties ones got to ask where's the money being wasted. The taxes can't continue to rise so somethings got to be done.

[KvHagedorn]

Organize a boycott. If everyone stops paying taxes suddenly, they will break. What is this "council" thing, anyhow? Sounds like a Big Brother wannabe.

[The PIT]

It's a local Town/City authority that taxes the residants and then looks after the street repairs etc etc. Sometimes wastes money and glad to be gay clubs etc etc.

[GNEP]

Remember the Poll Tax riots?


Actually I would very much be in favour of a local income tax %instead of council tax as it stands. I would end up paying more (>avg earnings) but I think it's much fairer.

[The PIT]

Originally posted by GNEP
Remember the Poll Tax riots?


Actually I would very much be in favour of a local income tax %instead of council tax as it stands. I would end up paying more (>avg earnings) but I think it's much fairer.

Yes but I think they need to look into where all this money is disappearing.
Look at road repairs contractor digs the road up fills it in. Week later the road surface is sinking as they haven't done it properly. Now what should happen the council make them come back and fix it properly foc. More likely than not the problem gets ignored until the council is forced to patch it and then patch it again then again. Multiply that up over the city and the cost mounts up.
I also think residants that want speed calming should pay some of the bill themselfs.
Plus theres wastage on silly ego trips overseas etc. Sinks that cost 60,000 to install. Council workers that do no work during the week but do it at the weekend claiming overtime. Too many council workers do one persons job thats another one.

[GNEP]

Oh I totally agree with that. But that's supposedly what local elections are all about - our elected councillors are meant to keep an eye on all of that for us...

[Dilitante1]

as elected officials, dont you have the right to challenge them (or possibly recall them) for poor decisions? Being a taxpayer/homeowner in my community, I am now keeping up more on local politics than ever due to the latest "projects" that i am seeing
1. revamp/relocation of major intersections that were only put up 2 years ago
2. New police station (old one was fine) someone wanted a bigger jail (even tho the prisoners go to county jail once arraigned) THEN balk at the 640K$ for the new dispatching systems/PCs?radios
a multimillion dollar building i cant see paid off til i am retirement age (a long way away i hope)

[The PIT]

Originally posted by GNEP
Oh I totally agree with that. But that's supposedly what local elections are all about - our elected councillors are meant to keep an eye on all of that for us...

Problem is they're all a bunch of idiots from any party. Another thing that makes me shudder is that the Government wants to put in regional assemblies. More taxation and another level of administration thats not needed.

[Technoid]

Originally posted by The PIT
Problem is they're all a bunch of idiots from any party. Another thing that makes me shudder is that the Government wants to put in regional assemblies. More taxation and another level of administration thats not needed.

Well, they HAVE to make sure there's enough jobs for their incompetent freinds

[Sasq]

KVH - it wasn't answered directly. Council = county