Petition Calls For Tax to Be Axed (North Bedfordshire Liberal Democrats)

North Bedfordshire Liberal Democrats <bedford@bedfordlibdems.org>

Petition Calls For Tax to Be Axed

April 30, 2004 8:56 AM

Opposition to the Council Tax is to be highlighted this week when local Liberal Democrats present the government with a petition signed by hundreds of residents who are demanding that the tax be axed.

The petition which calls for an end to the council tax system and the introduction of fairer alternatives such as a local income tax, has been collected around the borough and will be presented to Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford at a special meeting tomorrow night. The meeting will discuss the future for council tax. Liberal Democrats are calling for the government to abandon it's support for the tax and listen to the views put forward by local residents.

Speaking on the issue, Christine McHugh, Lib Dem Deputy Group Leader said:

"We started this petition because we believe the council tax is an archaic and unfair system. It's just the crooked cousin of the poll tax built on similarly unfair premises. People should be expected to contribute according to their ability to pay. Instead the council tax takes no notice of whether you are a pensioner on a very low income or a top earner. Nationally, the poorest 10% pay over 4 times more of their income in council tax than the richest 10%. It's simply about fairness. Even the Audit Commission has declared council tax to be "fundamentally flawed".

It's high time the government actually listened to what people are saying and took notice. We've collected hundreds of signatures from people who have had enough of paying over the odds under this system. They want to know why they are still expected to put up with such costly imperfection when there are far fairer alternatives. Local income tax is more efficient, fairer, more accountable and can already be seen in action from the USA to Sweden.

Mr Raynsfords visit means we have the perfect opportunity to show the government how completely opposed people in the borough are to Council Tax. It's clear council tax is the most unpopular tax in Britain today. Now it's upto Mr Raynsford and his colleagues to listen to these concerns and drop this taxation once and for all."

ENDS