Page 1 of Council tax old age rage

On the Trevor McDonald show tonight, the old age pensioners go to war (and jail) against the unfair `way above inflation` council tax.

It really makes my blood boil that the worst crime you can commit in this country according to the Judges in this Land, is tax evasion.

Never mind rape, shoplifting, or mugging. These real criminals can get off with a community sentence, but heaven help you, if you do not pay your council tax. Look at these pensioners having to go to jail for not paying their full payment, because council tax eats up most of their pension.

The way councils can ask, year after year for massive hikes in council tax, is unbeivable. No wonder the recent rates review was postponed, Another hike, get stuffed !

This tax has now become a total morgage in itself, my own tax is £190 a month, just for the privilage of living in a house that I had to buy in the first place, and getting my bin empted once a week.

Its time this was sorted out as it just cant keep rocketing out of control,

Jjust like maggie and the hated poll tax, the populace will rise up eventually.

I disagree. The recent case seemed to be a woman who decided not that she couldn`t pay, just that it had gone too up too much and she wouldn`t. Those who really can`t pay, like some oaps I know, don`t have to. If people like her refuse to pay cos they feel like it, it`s people like them who will suffer I think, because they have to make it up from somewhere.

And what is it for?

Education Services
Community Care
Children & Family Services
Highways and Transportation

As well as bins, food safety, libraries....

No-one wants to pay it, but these things have to be paid for from somewhere. Would you rather pay more income tax?

Oh, and if tax evasion really was the worst crime in the country, who would be running all our corporations? Benefit fraud seems to be the biggest evil at the moment, despite the fact that corporate tax evaded is far higher than the amounts of benefit defrauded.

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Education Services
Community Care
Children & Family Services
Highways and Transportation
Yes, which used to be funded from Central Government. So now, we see tax increases from central Government and council tax increases because we need to fund the locally provided services! Sounds fair. :/

My local services have not improved, in fact I now get charged to re-cycle and fined if I put wrong type of refuse in the wrong type of bin. I feel I get great value for my 20% rise.

Neil.

It`s still got to be paid for from somewhere though. If there was no council tax you`d be taxed more elsewhere. Personally I`d like to see corporations paying far more tax, then the rest of us wouldn`t have to. Even my isp has some cunning VAT dodge to make more money.

Oh, and we have glass, paper, plastic and loads of other recycling free of charge :)

This item was edited on Monday, 17th October 2005, 23:19

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Quote:
Education Services
Community Care
Children & Family Services
Highways and Transportation

Yes, which used to be funded from Central Government

Sorry, you`re wrong there.
Those services have always been provided by Local Government.
Originally funded by the Rates, then the `Community Charge` (Poll Tax) and now by the Council Tax.

In my opinion,you should stop paying council tax when you retire,simple as that.
These people have had a lifetime of taxes and NI.
They deserve to live the remainder of their life without this obligation.

I heard something that really made my blood boil on radio 2 last week.
Some ignorant twit suggested that pensioners who live in large houses should just "Sell up and move into something smaller if they can`t afford the council tax". >:(

Totally ignoring the fact that they may have struggled to pay for this house all their working lives and it is filled with memories of family etc.etc.

:(

If i didnt have stuff worth the baliffs stealing or wasnt worried about a criminal record f***ing my life up, I would certainly protest like this.

Our council tax is one of the highest in England. And what does the council do? Outsource most of its major amenities and services to contractors who seem utterly incapable of doing their jobs properly.

For example, our rubbish collection has been outsourced. So now they wont open our bin room and get the bags out. Fair enough. We take them to the kerb. But being, apparently, huge animal lovers, they only ever take about 75% of them, leaving the rest as a tasty meal for any cat/stray dog/badger/fox who fancies last nights chicken wings.

And lets not mention the roads, which are so bad it actually makes you seasick.

F***ing council tax. I swear to god its the most outrageously unfair tax ever. And that includes the Poll Tax. It (clearly) makes my blood boil. The government should choose a form of taxation and stick with it. Either we pay national tax or local. It f***ing outrages me that I pay a third of my pay packet to tax and national insurance, roadtax, petrol tax and VAT and then still have to pay hundreds of pounds a month for people to clean the streets that im already paying tax for. And to do it badly! *deep breath*

Yup Nick,it makes me seeth as well.
I`m £230 a month for my council tax. >:(
Enough for the mortgage on a flat.... :/

In my opinion OAP should not pay for anything. TV licence, transport, council tax. Nothing.
If they can do it in Australia then they can surely do it here.
I am worried how I will be able to live here without being poor when I reach pensionable age. Another reason I am looking into leaving this country ASAP, unfortunately.