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Post by andrewbrown on Sept 14, 2023 6:36:56 GMT
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Post by andrewbrown on Sept 14, 2023 9:34:45 GMT
The councils want regulating and not allowed to piss money against the wall on madcap ECO bollox and diversity crap. Thanks for your useful contribution. This thread is about council FUNDING, not council SPENDING. My guess is that you didn't even read the article, but merely commented to troll me. |
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Post by Pacifico on Sept 14, 2023 10:34:41 GMT
Personally I'd go with a Land Value Tax but I suspect that will be an idea that is a bit too radical for the UK.
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Post by Fairsociety on Sept 14, 2023 10:39:42 GMT
Personally I'd go with a Land Value Tax but I suspect that will be an idea that is a bit too radical for the UK. I remember the lefty lovvies all supporting Corbyn, his celeb pals went up in arms when there was talk of a 'mansion tax' .. LOL
typical double standard hypocrisy of the lefties, with their virtue signalling woke snowflake agendas ... until it impacts them.
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Post by Dan Dare on Sept 14, 2023 10:45:55 GMT
Perhaps the main problem with council tax is that it isn't progressive enough.
Even in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, reputed to be the most affluent in the country, the top band tax is less than £3,000 p.a.
In many US states a million dollar home will attract a property tax of around $12,000 (1%+ of assessed value).
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Post by jonksy on Sept 14, 2023 10:56:01 GMT
Perhaps the main problem with council tax is that it isn't progressive enough. Even in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, reputed to be the most affluent in the country, the top band tax is less than £3,000 p.a. In many US states a million dollar home will attract a property tax of around $12,000 (1%+ of assessed value). I think Tony Blair would object to that one Dan with his ever growing property portfolio.... |
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Post by andrewbrown on Sept 14, 2023 11:05:35 GMT
Perhaps the main problem with council tax is that it isn't progressive enough. Even in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, reputed to be the most affluent in the country, the top band tax is less than £3,000 p.a. In many US states a million dollar home will attract a property tax of around $12,000 (1%+ of assessed value). Band H in nearby Westminster is only £1824.10! |
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Post by Fairsociety on Sept 14, 2023 11:12:16 GMT
I remember the lefty lovvies all supporting Corbyn, his celeb pals went up in arms when there was talk of a 'mansion tax' .. LOL
typical double standard hypocrisy of the lefties, with their virtue signalling woke snowflake agendas ... until it impacts them.
I can't see the point of funding councils if they are NOT kept under strict financial guide lines.mate They have just been helping themselves to our money, and no one to watch over them, they should get court orders to examine all councils that have gone bust, including personal and business interests, I bet they have been paying money in to family run businesses without declaring their interests, I bet they've been awarding those businesses tens of thousands in grants, but we know there wont be any arrests.
You only have to look at the SNP and Sturgeon and her dodgy husband, why are there no arrests, every one knew they had the fingers in the till.
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Post by andrewbrown on Sept 14, 2023 11:33:40 GMT
Personally I'd go with a Land Value Tax but I suspect that will be an idea that is a bit too radical for the UK. I've always been an advocate of the local income tax, but I'm coming round more to land value tax. As many of you know, my background is council tax and housing benefits, so from my point of view I'm also looking at how easy it would to set up, how easy to maintain an accurate database, how we could reduce admin and enforcement costs, and either reduce or abolish council tax support. |
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Post by Steve on Sept 14, 2023 12:13:39 GMT
Any substantial change (which any of the 3 options in that article would be) would be a nightmare. The world is full of people that think in 'don't tax me, don't tax thee, tax that man behind the tree' terms thinking it's always someone else should pay and there'd be massive arguments for years. I'd uncap council tax so those with mansions really do pay more than some in 3 bed detached houses but that alone won't solve the problem. Central government needs to provide more funds for the obligations they demand local councils deliver. |
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Post by andrewbrown on Sept 14, 2023 12:39:14 GMT
Any substantial change (which any of the 3 options in that article would be) would be a nightmare. The world is full of people that think in 'don't tax me, don't tax thee, tax that man behind the tree' terms thinking it's always someone else should pay and there'd be massive arguments for years. I'd uncap council tax so those with mansions really do pay more than some in 3 bed detached houses but that alone won't solve the problem. Central government needs to provide more funds for the obligations they demand local councils deliver. You'd need to do a full revaluation anyway to achieve that, something that was done in Wales, but Gordon Brown pulled it in England prior to the 2010 General Election. If you have to revalue everything anyway, then it gives you the opportunity to see if anything else is a better / fairer way of doing things. |
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Post by The Squeezed Middle on Sept 14, 2023 13:26:00 GMT
The Poll Tax was the fairest method: Everyone pays for what everyone uses, on a per person basis.
What's not to like, unless of course you were previously a non-contributor?
Anything based on property or land values is fraught: Just because an old age pensioners home has gone up umpteen times in value since they bought it decades ago does not mean that they are rich or can afford to pay 1% or whatever of it's value every year. It's effectively a tax on inflation (and funds that are entirely notional).
Local Income Tax? Hmmm... Not so good since it discourages work. Especially for people like me who can afford to retire now. If work is simply going to drop me into a higher tax bracket then I might just stay in bed - which is not the way forward if the government really wants people in their 50s to carry on working.
And of course all of the above have a bureaucratic burden and likely increased cost.
No, it's fine as it is.
Besides, given every public bodies huge propensity to waste money, we should be looking at ways to pay them less not more.
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Post by Orac on Sept 14, 2023 16:23:17 GMT
This thread is now in Mind Zone and subject is Local government funding.
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Post by The Squeezed Middle on Sept 14, 2023 16:29:42 GMT
In that case, the current state of play is probably the least worst.
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Post by andrewbrown on Sept 14, 2023 16:31:53 GMT
The Poll Tax was the fairest method: Everyone pays for what everyone uses, on a per person basis. What's not to like, unless of course you were previously a non-contributor? Anything based on property or land values is fraught: Just because an old age pensioners home has gone up umpteen times in value since they bought it decades ago does not mean that they are rich or can afford to pay 1% or whatever of it's value every year. It's effectively a tax on inflation (and funds that are entirely notional). Local Income Tax? Hmmm... Not so good since it discourages work. Especially for people like me who can afford to retire now. If work is simply going to drop me into a higher tax bracket then I might just stay in bed - which is not the way forward if the government really wants people in their 50s to carry on working. And of course all of the above have a bureaucratic burden and likely increased cost. No, it's fine as it is. Besides, given every public bodies huge propensity to waste money, we should be looking at ways to pay them less not more. The increase in value of your property makes no difference to your council tax band. Properties are based on their value as was (or would have been for new builds) in April 1993. Even if you extend the property the new banding doesn't take effect until you sell the property, so it doesn't affect you. |
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