Scotland The Brave.

[jambutty]

1. Alex Salmond is proposing to scrap Council Tax in Scotland and replacing it with a local “Income Tax of 3p in the pound of any taxable income”.

2. The other proposal is to scrap all hospital parking charges in Scottish hospitals except for the 3 PFI hospitals.

I wonder if Alex Salmond would like to swop jobs with Gordon Brown?

1. This is a Poll Tax under another name but much fairer than the current Council Tax. Obviously this proposal will upset those households where there is more than one wage earner and delight those where there is only one. But in all tax changes there will always be winners and losers. It is time that the winners were the least well off.

My argument is simple enough. Why should a household with only one wage earner pay the same amount of Council Tax as a household with more than one? That is plainly unfair.

2. Although free parking would be desired, surely most people would not object to say 50p for the day between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm including Blue Badge holders. A simple barrier that opens when 50p is inserted in the slot would take care of collections thus there would be no need to employ an attendant. To prevent some people from trying to get in for free by using the exit to enter there would have to be an automatic device that allows cars to leave but prevents cars from going in.

I’m not sure if I can explain this so that others will understand but here goes. I can only get it wrong, which should please some people.

A series of spring loaded steel plates embedded in the ground across the exit would stick up in the air at an angle of about 45° facing outwards. A car leaving would just push the plates down and drive over them. But a car trying to get in would be presented with a barrier some 12 inches high. If the plates were serrated with points at the end this would deter the four by four clan from riding rough shod over the plates.

[WillowTheWhisp]

I must admit it made me wish I lived in Scotland when I heard that. The local council tax will be more related to ability to pay which I feel is much fairer.

[david1]

Why should a household with only one wage earner pay the same amount of Council Tax as a household with more than one?


I live on my own , and i get 25% off my council tax , but i do pay more for living on my own . Dont think i would mind paying half of the tax, which is what a couple would pay each.

[shakermaker]

One of a hundred reasons why I can't wait to move to Aberdeen

[Neil]

So would non working households pay nothing?

[West Ender]

Originally Posted by Neil

So would non working households pay nothing?

Do they pay now? I understand there is provision for Council Tax benefit to those on Income Support etc.

[shillelagh]

Didnt everyone complain when the poll tax was brought in?

[Mancie]

Alex Salmond the brave.. or Scotland the brave?.. I think it's the latter.. Alec Salmond and the SNP are one the verge of no return with a possible new vote for Scottish independence... big words from Alec Salmond are no surprise.

[BERNADETTE]

This proposal seems to be going backwards rather than forwards. Why can there not be one set amount of council tax/poll tax? From there can the rebates not be sorted? Why should folk that work hard or earn higher wages be discriminated against? It should be a set amount no matter of income in our area!! For goodness sake we aren't talking about high profile people who need extra policing.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by shillelagh

Didnt everyone complain when the poll tax was brought in?

The Scots were the first people to be Poll Taxed, and just grumbled a bit.

It wasn't until it was brought in in England that the rioting on the streets forced Thatcher into a little rethink on the matter.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

Why should folk that work hard or earn higher wages be discriminated against?

Because it is an English national pastime