Axe the Tax (Beaconsfield Liberal Democrats)

Beaconsfield Liberal Democrats <alan_oxley@hotmail.com>

Axe the Tax

December 16, 2003 12:00 PM

Beaconsfield Constituency Liberal Democrats can see all the signs of further big Council Tax increases on the way for 2004.

It doesn't matter to most people exactly what is behind the increase because we all want good local services and we know that they have to be paid for. The problem is that Council Tax is rapidly going the way of the Poll Tax and the old domestic rates before that.

People are infuriated because it is collected so unfairly and it is especially unfair to expect pensioners whose incomes only go up about 2% each year to pay double digit increases in Council Tax.

It's time to scrap Council Tax and replace it with a fairer tax such as a local income tax, based on ability to pay.

Liberal Democrats in the west of the constituency are represented on Wycombe District Council by Councillor Brian Pollock who argued for a local income tax at the Council meeting on Monday December 15. However the move was defeated by Labour members who were satisfied with Council Tax and by Conservative members who called on the government to give more in grants to Bucks, although they agreed that Council Tax was unfair.

Edward Davey MP, Liberal Democrat spokesman for local government, has organized a petition to the government for fresh thinking and fairer local taxation.

Please support our campaign and add your name to our petition. You can do this by visiting either of the sites below. Thank you.