Comments on: Council Tax http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409 Every day the Prime Minister's Spokesman meets a small coterie of political journalists known as 'the lobby' for a topical chat, or 'briefing'. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:51:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: steph http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409#comment-6398 steph Fri, 18 May 2007 09:32:26 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409#comment-6398 i thinkthe elderly shouldnt pay council tax i thinkthe elderly shouldnt pay council tax

]]> By: richard longworth http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409#comment-4679 richard longworth Wed, 20 Sep 2006 11:21:18 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409#comment-4679 Central government spends \xA3150m pa on advertising according to recent source nearly all of this goes to private sector media owners. Why does the government not spend some of the advertisng expenditure getting its messages to the required audience by using its own very good media source ie local councils, pcts, police authorities. All these public sector bodies are encouraged to communicate with there community via magazines websites digital signage exhibitions. These are a ready made media that the governemnt can tap into and save the taxpayer a fortune. Try it. Ring your council, ask for the communications manager or equivalent and ask the person 'In your regular magazine would you be happy to take advertisng for campaign from central government' They'll snatch your hand. Government needs to be better organised to use its own resources and save the taxpayer or at least fund improved services. Central government spends \xA3150m pa on advertising according to recent source nearly all of this goes to private sector media owners.

Why does the government not spend some of the advertisng expenditure getting its messages to the required audience by using its own very good media source ie local councils, pcts, police authorities.

All these public sector bodies are encouraged to communicate with there community via magazines websites digital signage exhibitions. These are a ready made media that the governemnt can tap into and save the taxpayer a fortune.

Try it. Ring your council, ask for the communications manager or equivalent and ask the person ‘In your regular magazine would you be happy to take advertisng for campaign from central government’ They’ll snatch your hand.

Government needs to be better organised to use its own resources and save the taxpayer or at least fund improved services.

]]> By: Mr Pooter http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409#comment-4141 Mr Pooter Tue, 07 Mar 2006 11:31:14 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409#comment-4141 What's with the 'income' tax obsession? Why not tax expenditure or capital? We should tax those with more than 2 kids; target sick old people with homes for extra health taxes; tax parents with school age kids; tax foreign holidays; raise taxes on energy; tax noise polluters; tax plastic bags and non-recylable bottles. Most of all we should tax all those who voted Labour or Conservative because they voted to spend \xA34,000,000,000 on a criminally stupid and ruinous war. The 22% of the electorate who voted Labour should pay double tax until the war ends. Anyway, why should someone lucky enough to have a fixed income not be taxed? Lucky sods. What’s with the ‘income’ tax obsession? Why not tax expenditure or capital?

We should tax those with more than 2 kids; target sick old people with homes for extra health taxes; tax parents with school age kids; tax foreign holidays; raise taxes on energy; tax noise polluters; tax plastic bags and non-recylable bottles. Most of all we should tax all those who voted Labour or Conservative because they voted to spend \xA34,000,000,000 on a criminally stupid and ruinous war. The 22% of the electorate who voted Labour should pay double tax until the war ends.

Anyway, why should someone lucky enough to have a fixed income not be taxed? Lucky sods.

]]> By: Fred http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409#comment-4140 Fred Mon, 06 Mar 2006 21:04:54 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409#comment-4140 This Government have created a Property rich cash poor nation, and to tax people ( especially those on fixed and low incomes - yes there are a lot of us!) is grossley unfair. All taxes should be income based, but unfortunately our high living 'leaders' do not want to understand this.They are too busy feathering their own nests. This Government have created a Property rich cash poor nation, and to tax people ( especially those on fixed and low incomes - yes there are a lot of us!) is grossley unfair. All taxes should be income based, but unfortunately our high living ‘leaders’ do not want to understand this.They are too busy feathering their own nests.

]]> By: Fred http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409#comment-4139 Fred Mon, 06 Mar 2006 21:04:31 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409#comment-4139 This Government have created a Property rich cash poor nation, and to tax people ( especially those on fixed and low incomes - yes there are a lot of us!) is grossley unfair. All taxes should be income based, but unfortunately our high living 'leaders' do not want to understand this.They are too busy feathering their own nests. This Government have created a Property rich cash poor nation, and to tax people ( especially those on fixed and low incomes - yes there are a lot of us!) is grossley unfair. All taxes should be income based, but unfortunately our high living ‘leaders’ do not want to understand this.They are too busy feathering their own nests.

]]> By: Mr Pooter http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409#comment-4130 Mr Pooter Mon, 27 Feb 2006 13:33:27 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409#comment-4130 Roger - I think the extra money is going on lavish and early pensions. Ask your councillor what percentage of the council tax is spent on pensions - and prepare for a shock. Roger - I think the extra money is going on lavish and early pensions. Ask your councillor what percentage of the council tax is spent on pensions - and prepare for a shock.

]]> By: Paul http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409#comment-4129 Paul Mon, 27 Feb 2006 13:08:50 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409#comment-4129 All taxes that are NOT based on a percentage of income are immoral and should be abolished... All taxes that are NOT based on a percentage of income are immoral and should be abolished…

]]> By: Roger Huffadine http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409#comment-4121 Roger Huffadine Mon, 20 Feb 2006 18:15:37 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2006/02/20/2409#comment-4121 I'm still confused as to how people on a fixed income are supposed to fund these year on year increases that are way above inflation. The services that we receive from our local council keep shrinking and the bill goes up - now given that they keep saying that they are cutting costs where is all the extra money going? It looks like Worcester is going to get a 4.9% increase this year - set against an inflation rate of 1.9% [the 1.9% takes into account the hike in taxes and council rates from last year] I e-mailed my local councillor last year asking questions but didn't even get an acknowledgment that he had received the e-mail - so this year I shall have to e-mail the Chief Exec of the council under the Freedom of Information Act - that way I'm sure to get a response. I’m still confused as to how people on a fixed income are supposed to fund these year on year increases that are way above inflation.

The services that we receive from our local council keep shrinking and the bill goes up - now given that they keep saying that they are cutting costs where is all the extra money going?

It looks like Worcester is going to get a 4.9% increase this year - set against an inflation rate of 1.9% [the 1.9% takes into account the hike in taxes and council rates from last year]

I e-mailed my local councillor last year asking questions but didn’t even get an acknowledgment that he had received the e-mail - so this year I shall have to e-mail the Chief Exec of the council under the Freedom of Information Act - that way I’m sure to get a response.

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